Big 90,
Im not sure ,I think its right downtown like ..There is a train show there next month and the track runs right in front on the conv ctr if I remember correctly,(someone correct me if this is not right) Its been many years since I went to it..But if you can wait til then you could kill 2 birds w/1 stone! The okc show is a VERY BIG train show...Good hunting,Danny
Big90mack; BNSF tracks run from the north in Edmond to Norman in the south. I don't know about places up north but here in Moore, there are a couple of good places. Anywhere between Main Street and South Fourth. Public road on both sides of the track. Just one thing - you will have to be patient - they don't come along to often.
Paul
PwdOpd wrote: Big90mack; BNSF tracks run from the north in Edmond to Norman in the south. I don't know about places up north but here in Moore, there are a couple of good places. Anywhere between Main Street and South Fourth. Public road on both sides of the track. Just one thing - you will have to be patient - they don't come along to often. Paul
Paul - I know this is off topic, but just out of curiosity, did you live in Moore in 1999 when the big F5 tornado hit Oklahoma City and Moore?
Willy
Don't forget about the UPRR main that runs from KS. down to Ft. worth via El Reno, Chickasha and West OKC.
Big90mack: About Flynn Yard - I go by it a lot on Eastern and acess to the yard is off Eastern but I have never been brave enough to go up to the yard. One road leads to the tower and the other to what I think is a back shop.Unless one has authorization, I don't think it would be wise to enter these roads. On the west side of the yard is Pole Road which is a public road and you can see some activity, but it is back far enough with some small obstructions that viewing (at least in my opinion) is not that good.
And Willy 2, I was in Moore at the time of the tornado. We were not effected, as we live south and east of the path the tornado took by about a mile and a half.
Maybe someone else from our area could give you some other locations.
Hey Big90mack, Depends on what you want to photograph. As a former City Councilman in the Town of Cashion, OK. I guess i´m qualified to answer this. Here are some ideas.
FIRST contact the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in OKC and they will give you a copy of the State Railroad Map AND a new State Highway Map. Sometimes a visit to the railroad section offices in the DOT office building will produce older railroad maps which show the many abandoned lines in the State. Also the State Archives Building has the railroad papers, layouts, line profiles...EVERYTHING all neatly stored in boxes for the asking.
For Amtrak: Along the BNSF mainline from the old Santa Fe Station downtown, south to Ft. Worth. Some of the area from the old "Bricktown tourist district" at about Reno Av. South to at least 59th St are a little rough. Beyond 59th there are lots of crossings where a good shot can be had. The Station in Normon is really a great spot. The Canidian River Bridge South of Normon is good too but access is tough and watch for quicksand along the riverbed. Also Pauls Valley has some scenic locations. Keep moving south to Davis and the Arbuckle Mountains and there are some really great spots of mountain railroading in the prairie.
For BNSF Freight: See above for downtown South. For Downtown North, again rough areas but along the Broadway Extension there are some locations. Also check out the old Britton townsite which is now a neighborhood shopping area of the same name on Britton Av. (exit off Broadway Ext.) Further North Edmond has many crossings and the old RR overpass in the little downtown has good parking behind the retail buildings just north of the overpass. (there is also a marker about the RR history of the area at this location), On north just follow Broadway (just beyond the Edmond Bus. district it seems to end at a cemetary, simply jog right and go to the next left and your back on it). Now all the way to Guthrie there are spots where the Railroad darts in and out of valleys and crossings. Check out the Cottonwood Creek area if there has been several days of rain, it will resemble the BNSF coast line route LA to San Diego. (DON´T attempt to cross these roads if the water is over the pavement, washouts are common and it can be deadly), Where Broadway intersects SR33 a right turn will take you into Guthrie, the Territorial Capital. Guthrie is a movie set in real life! Even the old Depot is restored and photo op´s abound.
For UP: Something is almost always moving along the State Fair Grounds (train show) but these are simple locals or drill freights. There is7or was an RR overpass a May Av that is pure art deco with ROCK ISLAND LINES etched on it. On into town the tracks follow Reno, sometimes a couple of blocks North of the road, sometimes South. Following I-44 North from 10th at the fairgrounds to 39th St Expressway West (confusing interchange, but you go under the highway then a tight loop to the right to access it),. Follow this to the railroad crossing at Yukon. Beautiful small town, old Oklahoma Railroad Depot still stands as does a tiny railroad museum (this is old HWY 66). Good shots can be made "WHEN" the train passes through from El Reno to OKC. Keep going out old 66 and the town of EL RENO was once the Rock Islands SW hub. The Depot, office building, ruins of the yard still stand. UP freights run North/South past the Depot..About 20 miles north the town of Kingfisher has a shortline that switches elevators, but north of Kingfisher is the RI bridge where a train took a dive in a flood many years ago. At certain times one can glimpse the huge steam locomotive laying in the river and covered by sand except for the lucky times when the river sweeps it away. South of El Reno is the village of Union City and right next to the highway a HUGE old RI bridge over the river is worth the trip just to see it. The yard North of Town allows a sometimes glimpse of the shortline from Watonga with an interchange. Or just drive out to Watonga to find remains of a Rock Island branchline feast. The Ghost town of Bridgeport also has acess to the dead mainline and fantastic bridge over the river (take dog spray here). Further west along 66 or I-40 Clinton has a maze of interconnecting lines former ATSF, FRISCO, RI, ATSF ex ORIENT. Lots of shortline op´s here with Farmrail and Grainbelt. UP. East is harder to find and except for a Shawnee drill it is mostly sleeping. There are some beautiful spots along this old RI mainline all the way to McAlister and East of here there is an active shortline.
OKLAHOMA RAILROAD: In downtown El Reno a section of the old Interurban has been rebuilt and is a little known throwback to 1930. Yes there IS an operating car on the line.
OLD FRISCO - BNSF: Very lightly used former mainline. Sometimes is used to relieve congestion but can be very frustrating. Downtown OKC where the line intersects the old RI to enter Union Station might be the best spot but remember, be careful, this is downtown big city. Southwest of town along 59th Street and the Wheatland community there is almost always some activity, but by Mustang, the Road curves toward the River and is lost. Northeast of OKC the line is used for directional overflow. There are some beautiful old depots all along which afford good shots IF there is anything scheduled. This is one of the lines the State is considering for a OKC-TULSA passenger train but they can´t understand why anyone would ride because the railroad has curves around the many hills and the nearby Turnpike is nearly straight and 75 mph all the way. The thinking seems to be that a passenger train can´t operate where there are curves...funny this never bothered the old Frisco when the Meteor Streaked by.
GHOST RAILROADS: They are everywhere. If you´d like more on them I will send you a short list.
Bob Mann
I went to the Amtrak station but a !@#$% cop ran me out im not a passenger! I did go to El Reno got some good shoots thay have an old Rock Island loco shop.
I have a map of the old Burlington Route map of the west date on the map is 1940 it has all of the lines
the price of the map in 1940 was $1.oo the price now?
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