Where are some public, active locations to watch trains in Kentucky?

[skerber]

Hello,

I live in central KY and am wondering if there are any good public areas to view NS trains in KY. I noticed on www.railpictures.net there are a lot of photos from Danville and up north toward Erlanger. I have watched some CSX trains from a good public location in Berea at the old L&N depot. unfortately, when I do go to Berea, I usually have to wait a while to see one train.

Thanks for the help!
Steve

[locomutt]

I know that there are some good spots to watch trains in Ky. But really can't
give you a good location. Here in the Louisville area;there's I-65,going into E-town,
(Muldraugh Hill)and also Muldraugh Hill on the now P & L (old ICG) on 31 W.
If anybody remembers the movie "Stripes" and the "Foreign" checkpoint,that was
filmed down Dixie Hwy,just several miles from where CW & I live.
Westpoint is another good location,where the CSX(old L & N) crosses the P & L.

[louisnash]

Steve
I see that you mentioned Erlanger KY. They have a park in Erlanger right beside the tracks that is a great place to watch/photo trains. There is a lot of action there coming off the hill there. On the good days, you can get about 1 train every 15-20 minutes. The slower days you'll see about 1 every 30-45 minutes.

I work right beside the NS line from Cincy to Danville KY in Richwood, so it's a great treat for me to able to just open the door and watch them go by. I only stay in the Northern KY area to railfan. I don't get down to Lexington as much as I would like to do. I don't go into Cincinnati because I hate the traffic.

The Cincy to Louisville L&N "Shortline" can be good also. They aveage about 1-2 trains per hour. Nothing near what NS does, but I like it over there, much better than the CSX CC sub. Worthville, Sanders, Sparta, and Glencoe has been good areas for me. Between Walton and Banklick is a good area also. I have on a couple occasions chased a train from around Worthville up to Banklick. The climb up to Eagle Tunnel slows them down a lot and gives time to get ahead of them if they are heading north.

I grew up on the CC sub, and some days you could go 3-4 hours with nothing. Few weekends ago, I was in the Kenton County area south of Decoursey and was out for about 3 hours, and didn't see a thing. I won't waste my time over there during the winter months unless when I go to see the parents and grandparents. It's not worth it much.

Another thing that you can do is to sign on to railpictures.net and leave a message in their forums about this exact question. I know that one of the screeners they have on that website is from the Central Ky (Lexington) area. And there is another gentleman that posts a bunch of photos from that area also. They will help you out if you can get a hold of them on there.

I hope this helps out some.
Brian (KY)

[skerber]

Thank you all. This was helpful.

Steve

[SSW9389]

Kentucky Railfan at Yahoo Groups dot com.

Brian I went with some of those fellows a while back south of Danville. They know every road real good. We went to places line Keno, the Bridge at Burnside, Science Hill, and Kings Mountain. Probably a bunch of places I forgot. We ended up at North Wye on the way back.

Get yourself a DeLorme's Kentucky Atlas and travel the Bluegrass.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SSW9389

Kentucky Railfan at Yahoo Groups dot com.

Brian I went with some of those fellows a while back south of Danville. They know every road real good. We went to places line Keno, the Bridge at Burnside, Science Hill, and Kings Mountain. Probably a bunch of places I forgot. We ended up at North Wye on the way back.

Get yourself a DeLorme's Kentucky Atlas and travel the Bluegrass.

That's a good map to have. I would recommend it for your personal library.
I am sure that there are some good train-watching spots out there; I just
haven't found all of them yet. Especially in the area you are talking about.
One of our state mottos, at one time, was "See Kentucky". We do have a
beautiful Commonwealth, or whatever you would like us to call it. (state,
commonwealth, whatever)[:)]

[cpbloom]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

I know that there are some good spots to watch trains in Ky. But really can't
give you a good location. Here in the Louisville area;there's I-65,going into E-town,
(Muldraugh Hill)and also Muldraugh Hill on the now P & L (old ICG) on 31 W.
If anybody remembers the movie "Stripes" and the "Foreign" checkpoint,that was
filmed down Dixie Hwy,just several miles from where CW & I live.
Westpoint is another good location,where the CSX(old L & N) crosses the P & L.

I remember Muldraugh when I was stationed at Ft. Knox. Its on one side of 31W and the base is one the other. One time we were doing an Army Engineer Board test on a tank "bump" course with the M-1 tank and we kicked up so much dust the people in Muldraugh thought it was a fire and we had to stop the test. good thing though because I was getting "tank sick" [:p] [:o)].

The P&L tracks did run right through the base with a spur going to the ammo dump on base.

[louisnash]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SSW9389

Kentucky Railfan at Yahoo Groups dot com.

I forgot about mentioning that website also. I check it everyday to see what's up in our glorious state in railroading.

I know that the ones that are down south of Danville picture taking always post their photos on Yahoo KY Railfan. And let me tell you, they are some very nice photos they take.

SSW9389, those photos they take of King's Mtn are always nice ones.

I have always liked Winchester also, around Patio. Ford Ky is a good place to be if you can be there at the right time. If I had the time I would get down from Winchester into Ashland and take photos of the old C&O Lexington line. I have a few but not many at all.
That area is fascinating also, if you like to see abandoned ROW.

Have fun.
Brian (KY)

[skerber]

Thanks again! I will check out also Yahoo KY Railfan.

Steve

[skerber]

I checked yahoo ky railfan, joined, and given a good location to try out in danville. thank you,
steve

[DRBusse]

How about Paris, KY. Isn't there still a restarrant in the ex-L&N Paris depot with a view of the CSX and TTI main lines? Relatively busy main line with outside dining and, best of all, Ale Eight-One on the menu. Or Patio yard at Winchester, junction of the old "EK" line, just a loud belch from the home of Ale Eight...

I also enjoy various points on the ex-SR Rathole south of Lexington; haven't been there since NS merger, tho...

[louisnash]

The restaurant at Paris KY in the depot is closed. It has been closed for a couple years that I know of. It's just sitting there collecting dust. That's to nice of a depot to let it go to hell like that.

Brian (KY)