I'll be going to the Dells with my family next week and was wondering when the trains roll through. I think it's the Canadian Pacific mainline. I'd like to catch some motive power I don't get to see in the Fox Valley.
Thanks in advance.
i was told the riverwalk on the river is a pretty good spot in the dells.
Have Fun
If you get the chance, head south about 15 miles to Devil's Lake State Park. Rock trains run right through the park at about 5-10mph. Empties run north and fulls run south. You can enjoy the beach, too, and have plenty of time to reach the tracks since the horn echos through the bluffs.
joseph2 wrote:We haven't been to the Dells in 10 years,but I remember a KOA campground across from the tracks,west side of town.That was a good trainwatching spot.The stone trains at Devil's Lake used to be C&NW,what railroad operates there now ? thanks Joe
WSOR owns and operates the tracks. The line terminates in Reedsburg, a few miles past North Freedom and the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.
YOu might try to see the Riverside and Great Northern RR (15" gauge)
http://www.randgn.com/
and as mentioned above - the Mid Continent RR Museum
http://www.midcontinent.org/
Here is a shot from Devils Lake. The track is carved into the hillside. There used to be a functional slide fence through there, until they took the signal system out.
This shot also makes a nice desktop on the computer, lots of space with not much going on.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
WSOR 3801 wrote: Here is a shot from Devils Lake. The track is carved into the hillside. There used to be a functional slide fence through there, until they took the signal system out. This shot also makes a nice desktop on the computer, lots of space with not much going on.
1 week from today, I'm heading up US12 for a week long vacation in the park. If anyone is in the area at that time, I'd be up for a meet. My uncle that has been a big influence on my railfan past will also be there.
~Nathaniel
Eric,
It would be a better bet to stay up at the Dells if you want to see regular rail action- the rock trains to the pit at Rock Springs run 2-3 times a week at most. Today was a rare treat as we had a Saturday southbound rock train through Madison. The WSOR runs a six day a week wayfreight up that way too- but it's been getting up there past dark thanks to the slow orders and late starts out of Madison.
The CP has been doing track work around Wyocena and Portage the last few days- they had a ballast undercutter kicking up a bunch of dust out there on Thursday. So with a maintenance window open it may be a little slow on the CP through the Dells- a friend of mine drove along the line all the way to LaCrosse today and only saw 2 eastbounds. Amtrak will usually show up reasonably on time for you to shoot it in good light both east and westbound.
Rock trains run only Monday through Saturday, and it's not a daily train. You never know if there will be one or not. However, if there is one on Saturdays it's a good bet it'll be through between 12-3 in the afternoon southbound. Rock Springs (where the quarry is), has a ordance that the trains can't load after noon, so usually they scadadle out of town shortly after that. It makes for a nice chase if you can get over the Merrimac ferry without getting too far behind him. The local goes Tuesday, Thursdays, and Sundays. Last I knew he had a call time of 1500 in Madison and had been getting to Merrimac somewhere around 6 or 7 PM, but that's varied so much lately I really can't say for sure.
As far as the Dells, there are lots of good spots to be had, and traffic is medium. It seems to go in spurts on the CP. Some days you may get 3 trains in two hours and then spend 3 hours waiting for the next train. Other days it may just be a steady stream of trains all day long. Other days you'll see one train if 5 hours But usually if you stick around long enough, you're bound to see something (I've heard traffic estimates put around 20-35 trains a day, which sound about right.) If you're around in the morning, I'd recomend the Wisconsin River Bridge shot. (It's right off of downtown Dells, and that view can be had off of the River walk behind Ripely's Beleive It or Not or the Upper Dells boat dock, if you're familiar with either of those):
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p89/WSOR_3807/IMG_2977copy.jpg
For late afternoon westbound trains, I like Bowman Road, just to the east of the Amtrak Depot. If you head down the main road (broadway) you'll come across Bowman road at some point. Simply follow that until you cross the tracks, and you'll find the shot. (good with either a telephoto lens...
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p89/WSOR_3807/IMG_2865.jpg
..or a wider lens.)
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p89/WSOR_3807/IMG_2868.jpg
There are also a few decent places up and down the line between Portage and Mauston, but those are my favorite, and really the best in the Wisconsin Dells area.
Off the top of my head, here's some basic info about the are that should help you.
If you've got a scanner, 161.520 will let you listen into conversations. The CP's Wisconin Dispatcher is in charge of the line, known as the Tomah sub. Wisconsin Dells is mile post 195 or so. There is a siding down at 189.0 (numbers get bigger away from Chicago, so that's to the south/east towards Portage) known as Leiwiston siding, which is a favored meeting spots by some dispatchers. There is also a siding at MP 199 known as Kilbourn, and another siding between Lyndon Station and Mauston known as Mile Creek at MP 211. About the only other siding ever mentioned down here is Camp Douglas, which is near the city of Camp Douglas, near Tomah. Portage also has a siding near the Amtrak Depot, and Portage is about Mile Post 178. The are radio towers at Portage, Wisconsin Dells, and I think New Lisbon.
There are also a couple of detectors, one at Mile Creek (at MP 207.5) and one between Portage and Lewiston (at MP 183.0). Both are useful to tell if trains are in the area.
A very useful practice for railfans on the CP is that all trains call out station signs and detectors. After going over a detector or when approaching a station sign or sidings, the train crew will usually call out something like (as an example) "CP 8873 east approaching Lewiston. Next restriction [insert mile post number here]. CP 484 out." The last number is the train number They don't always say this, but they usually do. If the train number is even, then you've got a eastbound. If it's odd, then it's a westbound. Based upon where you are compared to the location will then help you decide how close the train is and whether it's coming at you or going away. If they say their direction after the lead locomotive number, (like CP 8873 east) that helps too.
One other useful tidbit, is that if you head something refered to near Portage called "Three Light" that's the west end of the Portage yard. Portage West is the west end of the siding in Portage, and is just outside of town. Portage Junction is just on the East side of town where the branch line to Madison splits off from the main. Oh, and "Columbia" or "the power plant" is the power plant just south of Portage that can be seen. Coal trains go in there about daily as 882, and come out as 883. They usually have BNSF power too, so that's another tip off if you hear "BNSF XXXX west" on the radio.
Good luck to you in your hunt, and if you get any pictures, we expect to see them!
Noah HofrichterReedsburg, WI
And if you are reeeeealy lucky, you can see something like this:
http://jeaton.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/13698/IMG_1796-1.jpg
or this:
http://jeaton.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/13698/IMG_1805-1.jpg
But maybe not this weekend.
(From open space parking area just east of the Dells Station)
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
Wisconsin is just west of Lake Michigan and just north of...another state!
Dan
If you go to the Dells bring lots and lots of $$.You will still go home broke though.
Kurt
Clutch Cargo wrote: If you go to the Dells bring lots and lots of $$.You will still go home broke though. Kurt
The Wisconsin Dells is just like Disney World, only more expensive. I haven't been there for several years now (my stepsons are now grown) but my wife used to let me take pictures by the station while she shopped on Broadway and the boys (teenagers by that time) were at the motel pool.
CNW 6000 wrote: Wisconsin is just west of Lake Michigan and just north of...another state!
Yep, Wisconsin is just north of the other state whose residents bring lots of cash north and leave it there, but nobody up north seems to care so they call us F.I.P.'s
Yep, I've been to the Dells many times and it does seem to get more expensive every year. Maybe it's because the prices have gone up, or maybe it's because the kids are older and can do more.
As for my success at railfanning/photographing - nada. I did see a CP grain train go by the Amtrak station around 10:00AM with little warning - not enough time to get the camera out. Later in the evening, around 6:00PM, I heard the Amtrak at the station as it pulled away - no good vantage points for a photo.
I "sobbed" to my wife, and said I'll have to come back when the kids are in school to spend a day railfanning. She said that was fine. Gotta love her!
I can't complain, because this was a family vacation and eveyone had fun.
Wisconsin Dells is not a really good railfanning spot. There are few places to park for free (parking meters in town) besides the Amtrak depot near the tracks. The riverwalk is good for some (and I really do mean SOME) morning shots, and night shots of trains that go over the bridge.
A better place to railfan for a short drive is Portage, about 10mi to the east. Lots of good railfanning places, including the HWY 33 bridge east of town, the Amtrak platform, the old Shoe Factory (large, abandoned brick building), and the spot across from the depot near the electrical substation, if you want shots of movement in the yard.
Yard power is usually a pair of CP or SOO GP38s, GP40s, or a Bandit loco if you are lucky. There is always a surprise to be found in the yard, such as the MILW drop-bottom gondola with Friction Bearing trucks I saw a few weeks ago.
If you do go to the Dells, make sure to stop at the Riverside & Great Northern. You will not be dissapointed.The R&GN was Norm Sandley's factory where he made Sandley Light Railway 15'' and 24'' equipment for zoos and amusement parks. There are about 5 shop buildings, a (6?) stall roundhouse, a coaling tower, water tower, the carbarn, and the Hyde Park depot.
Even though it is 15'' gauge, everything is so real, which can make it more interiesting than a 1:1 gauge railroad. Power is going to be #98 (4-4-0), and you could see the SW unit run a work train if they are working on the track. The Tom Thumb might also be running, but it is usually on display outside of the roundhouse not under steam.
The railroad was built on the original grade of the MILW's line to LaCrosse. When re-aligned, it left that grade abandoned. That's what RG&N was built on. The CP/SOO runs right next to the railroad, so at the depot you will probably see a train go through.
Also, the RailDog is a good Hot Dog shop located on a side street to Broadway. It is in a restored Milwaukee Road Thrall caboose.
If you feel inclined, you might travel up HWY 13 to Adams and see the UP's yard there. There is not a lot of action, but UP is going to replace all of the rail to welded rail pretty soon, so you might see some M-O-W action. There are about 6 trains that run through there durring the day time, one every 2 hours.
Let me know if you want any info on gas stations, resturants, ect. I live in the area.
Phil
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.