I think the best place to watch trains is in Berea Ohio.
Where do you think the best raifanning spot is?
For me, in Ohio, it would be Fostoria and Marion.
Outside of Ohio, it would be the former Pennsy between Altoona and Cresson, PA.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
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After taking into consideration the amount and diversity of rail "action" and the relative convenience to me personally, I would pick Rochelle, IL or my own favoriate spot, McClure Road on the BNSF at Eola Yard in Aurora, IL.
wrawroacx Where do you think the best raifanning spot is?
The answer is so subjective based on person's age, geographical location now, geographical location at another time, favorite railroad, favorite railroad activity, number of trains, type of services, frieght car fan, passenger car fan, locomotive fan, been there once or been there a thousand times, all memories, one time great time or every day scene, convenience to location, frequency of visits. The question is wide open to suggestion and interpretation and, thus, an unlimited variety of answers. I've seen the question before: it goes everywhere and nowhere.
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For me it is Milton, ON...CP double track mainline passes under CN mainline...lots of action on both roads all the time.
I like Worcester, MA, but that's just me... CSX, MBTA, Amtrak, and Providence & Worcester. Union Station is the best location.
That's just my opinion.
All right, all right--so far we've had a few "favorites" chosen by people, but, as someone above me said, it would be impossible to pick out the best spot from those. What I want to see in trains might be different from what someone else wants to see. What I want to see today may be different from what I want to see tomorrow (and thank Goodness I can act on that variety around here!). Do I want to have my trains making me fight to stand upright as they blow by, or practically stopped so I can find out the two prior owners of such-and-such a freight car?
Now, if it's trains you want to see (and by that I mean big stuff, and seeing the entire train, rather than just a parade of cars going by your location), it would be hard to beat Cajon Pass--Hill 582, to be specific. You get long trains of nearly every variety from two big railroads on four busy tracks, struggling to make it up or control their descent, and you can see some of the trains from one end to the other, amid some interesting scenery.
Today I'm going to settle for a quick trip out to West Chicago--might see nothing, but I'll satisfy my curiosity about a couple of things.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
For me it used to be Dayton's Bluff in St. Paul, that is until CP put the kibash on rail fans parking in the gravel lot there off Warner Rd. Now I'm not sure where the best spot would be that I've been to.
Pretty hard to beat Cajon and Tehachapi for action and throw in Beaumont and it is hard to find three better spots with as much action and all not that far apart.
Al - in - Stockton
Nobody else has said it, so I will - any place there are trains.
The line I live near has two through freights and a local each day, more or less. Sitting alongside the tracks waiting for a train is going to be an exercise in frustration, but if there's a train there, it's made my day.
That said - I like sitting on the platform at Utica Union Station. Several Amtraks each day, and a wide variety of freight traffic. Best of all, the freight traffic is usually moving at track speed - nothing like a doublestack passing a few feet from you at 60!
And sometimes there's nothing at all...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
The best spot for me is watching outside from my train room window, at least till the trees leaf out and the corn gets tall. After that, I agree with Larry, anywhere the trains are is fine.
inch
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
carl say hi to JB tower for me(although maybe Cn has renamed it already??).kevin have been on that stretch of pennsylvania.Very nice.Our favorite is Deshler Ohio. Its 3 connecting tracks and 3 dispatchers trying to see who goes first(although the ip controls the diamond).can get very crowded at times.We have been surrounded by 3 trains at once in deshler before.plus you have the cpl signals of the B&O still in place.lots of people have stopped by to say hi on their way to other spots.hope to see you soon.
stay safe
joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
East Dubuque Illinois. You have two railroads; BNSF and CN providing a variety of traffic, a tunnel, and a Mississippi River backdrop all by just sitting in one location.
Jeff
Those of us who have been along the TRANSCON in AZ have several locations and among them has to be the garden and covered veranda at the La Posada Hotel in Winslow.
This restored Fred Harvey Hotel has been mentioned in several threads here and they provide seating and ample room to see the trains, including Amtrak #'s 3 and 4 which stop here.
The BNSF trains all stop in Winslow for a crew change so they are not at track speed when passing the hotel. However many eastbounds are really excellerating if they have a high green. The hotel and its restaurant are excellent so this is my favorite.
That really is a wonderful location. The amazing Southwest art collection in the hotel is a selling point for the spouse, and of course we have to point out the former division dispatching office on the back side, second floor, a feature I find particularly gratifying but is pretty much lost on most others.
RWM
Horseshoe Curve! Didn't you know it's required for railfans to face the HSC and "wave at the engineer" once a day?
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
I'll go along with some previous posts and say that anywhere the trains are running is the best spot. That being said, my personal preference would be either at Berwyn on the CB&Q (or is it BNSF) or at Blue Island Junction.
The Best Railfanning Spot? That's easy!
Anyplace I happen to be railfanning is the best spot. And I'll disagree with some of the other that said where there are trains running. I don't even need trains sometimes:
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
While "wherever I am at the moment" is a great answer, I also believe the "in my memories" is another. Cannot forget action on any Friday night on the DL&W at Denville, NJ in the late 50's with commuter trains, mainline passenger trains, milk trains, passenger extras, local drills to and from three directions, a parade of six or more westbound manifests fresh from the docks, maybe an empty coal train to balance several eastbounds, and the one, maybe two eastbound manifests that might slip through. Add to that a contingent of up to 20 railfans from late teens to mid 70's, and you had a great rail watching spot.
But you know, we went down to Bound Brook on the CNJ-RDG-B&O for some 4 track action one Friday night (every see four tracks all with green spots beckoning four trains at once?) with the LV throwing in some bi directional passenger and freight on a single track at the same time. Of course, Jamaica on the LIRR anytime is out of sight...really...you can't see everything that is going on at the same time. And morning or evening rush hours are even more so...is now and always was, probably always will be, too. The PRR was princley all under wire at Islen, NJ with GG1's on both passenger and freight, plus the P5A's and those big boxes and little mu's... all at 90mph plus in both directions and all at once; back in the 50's. A weekday noon with my father on one of his sales trips to Easton, PA provided baloney sandwiches and cookies while sitting on a baggage cart at the LV station watching the Black Diamond go west and the Maple Leaf slip east. You know riding a New York City subway train could be fulfilling as a trainwatching spot, especially the old BMT to Jamaica (today's J train, just as much fun) with intersecting lines and LIRR crossings. In the mid 60's and for many years since, Binghamton, NY has been fantastic, always a surprise. First, (by the time I got there) it was EL, D&H, and LV shooting trains by you in all directions...CR settled things down to just two roads. Then came along the NYS&W to add a third name back on the trainboard. But CP's purchase of the D&H, the NYSW alliance with CSX on occasion, and NS's expansive moves, have continued the unique variety and frequent surprises Binghamton has to offer. Fun spot was Palmer, MA on the NYC and CV, that diamond was definitely a gem back 1965 to 1968.
Yeah, if you're a railfan, anywhere you are can be Shangrela! Just wait and look.
HOW ABOUT THE MUSEUM PLATFORM ( old SANTA Fe Station) on BNSF lines from Augusta,Ks. and Transcon where the line to ArKansas City splits off,,, Plenty of TRAINS, about any time of day, in MULVANE, Ks.
At my age and degree of disability, creature comforts, convenience, and easy access are very important. So I will repeat my previous answer to this question: the Amtrak station at Fullerton, CA. It is 8 miles from my house, I can always get a close-in parking space (handicapped placard), and there are plenty of places to sit. Also a track-side cafe in an old Santa Fe depot that is still used as a depot and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Good restaurants and bars in short walking distance and even a good jazz club two blocks away. A public toilet in the depot. All that's lacking is a hotel within walking distance. If you are using trains to travel around it is one or two Amtrak stops from LA Union Station (Three or four Metrolink stops.)
But, most of all, there are trains. Just east of the station is the junction where the BNSF Transcon splits from the line to San Diego. On a weekday there are 54 to 56 passenger trains that stop at Fullerton. Metrolink commuters; Amtrak CA Surfliners; and the Southwest Chief twice a day. Plus whatever freight the BNSF wants to run on the Transcon.
Right now, with the economic slump, the freights are kind of sparse, but when the economy was booming we sometimes saw close to 80 freights a day. Kind of explains why BNSF triple-tracked the Cajon Pass.
Jack
wrawroacx I think the best place to watch trains is in Berea Ohio. Where do you think the best raifanning spot is?
The question you should be ask how many trains goes thru there? How many R.R. as well?
As Chicagoan I would say hands down it has to be Blue Island IL south of the city.Lots of trains from alot of different railroads CSX, IHB, CN(GT) IAIS UP BNSF and others always busy and lots of variety that's what I like. Outside of Chicago it's probably Santa Fe Jct. in Kansas City was there about 15 years ago. I liked for the same reason I like Blue Island lots of trains from lots of different railroads.
Dan Metzger
CopCarSS The Best Railfanning Spot? That's easy! Anyplace I happen to be railfanning is the best spot. And I'll disagree with some of the other that said where there are trains running. I don't even need trains sometimes:
Anyway, to answer the OP's question regarding the best spot: Directly Above the Center of the Earth.
zardozI see by your photos that you were indeed RAILfanning.
What can I say? I love me some glinty rails in the morning/evening!
So does that mean that if I go to see trains, I am actually TRAINfanning?
Why yes...I guess it would!
Hill 582, Cajon Pass !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would have to agree that anywhere a train is is the best spot, but for me my favorite railfanning spot is Folkston, Ga. The people there are courteous, and the trains going through seem to be endless. It is well worth the drive!
Gene Callan
Having spent four days in Montana last fall along the BNSF in and near Glacier National Park, I would have to nominate that as the most scenic location I have railfanned.
I really enjoy the BNSF Staples Sub between Lake Park and Hawley, MN. This line is fairly busy and that particular section is probably the most scenic in my general area.
Visit look4trains.com
Dundas, Illinois (population 100), year 1972 on the Illinois Central Mattoon - Evansville, In branch. Black geeps (with a few rebuilt GP8/10's in orange/white), 70 - 100 car freights (one per day each way) on 35mph track.
ed
genester71 I would have to agree that anywhere a train is is the best spot, but for me my favorite railfanning spot is Folkston, Ga. The people there are courteous, and the trains going through seem to be endless. It is well worth the drive!
Welcome, Gene, and I apologize for being remiss in not also nominating the Folkston Funnel. It is just as the genester says: a sweet little town where people don't rush. Small enough to lack a Wal-Mart or Target but big enough to have several motels, a couple of B&B's designed for railfans (and walking distance to the tracks), a big new pharmacy and -- A Sonic!! Try the limeade.
The only disadvantage I can think of for photographers is that the ROW takes in a lot of greensward, so getting those sharp-angled head-on shots will require a good zoom, preferably optical. But you'll see a little bit of everything: unit trains, a lot of manifest, a lot of strings of autorack and IM, though usually spliced into the manifest. I've heard that eighty percent of Florida-bound freight has to go thru the Funnel; makes sense to me, because there is usually very little waiting time between trains. Amtraks: 3 each way per day if you include Auto Train, and the Tropicana Juice Train in the middle of the night (which, alas, I have yet to witness.).
I admit that Folkston is rather isolated by East Coast standards, but it just kills me that so many fans will go to Waycross, even in poor weather, and hang around all day, when they could come down to a covered, floodlit shelter with plenty of parking at the railroad park in Folkston just 45 mins. or so away. If you want a break from the railfanning (IF), the Okefenokee Swamp is a ten-minute drive and a fifteen-minute hike away. I've seen scenery, folks, but this is the most amazing scenery I think I've ever seen. - a.s.
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