Worst train watching places

[Anonymous]

I have nothing but the rest of you can name yours.

[Gluefinger]

Kansasville, WI- CP/SOO Sturtevant Patrol maybe every 3 weeks

[Anonymous]

Sure can! May not be what your asking for, but I feel it must be said. The worst train watching place for me would be my daily elevator ride to my office. Can't see a train anywhere!

[BNSFGP38]

My model railroad. Dam line hasnt seen a train move in months. [:(][xx(]
But the line is remarkbly clear.....[C):-)]

[jeaton]

From the house on my farm. The line has been abandoned since 1943. You can catch a few snowmobiles in the winter.

[dehusman]

Between the rails.

Dave H.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

Between the rails.

Dave H.

This is definitely one to remember: Any unsafe location is the worst train-watching location.

Paul

[gabe]

I think there are several horrible train watching spots. Ironically, some of the highest density spots are the worst--as you better bring a gun if you want to stay there and not get mugged.

Gabe

[vsmith]

My desk in Cubeville is pretty bad, I'm below see level, I cant see a thing..!!!

Try standing near the Alameda Corridor in South Central LA near Alameda Blvd. (dont wear red or blue, and dont make direct eye contact)

Or along the tracks near the Redondo Yard...(Bring lots of change for the homeless)

In LA there are several BAD places, not due to lack of trains, but due to being in the middle of Scary-ville. Places where if you stand around with a camera, you must have a deathwish.

[tree68]

CSX Saginaw Sub - Plymouth>Saginaw. What trains there are run in the middle of the night.

[Anonymous]

How about on 21st street and Grove? (DA HOOD YO!) Creepy place. [xx(]

[bbrant]

Worst train watching spot for me was at my old home. Could easily hear the trains. Could easily see the diesel exhaust. But trains ran too far in a valley to see the train itself. I hate being teased like that.

Second worse spot is also my favorite spot (go figure). I like going to Sand Patch, just not during the warmer months when I need to be on the lookout for snakes as well as trains. Took a quick drive there on Saturday evening and saw both a train and a big ol' black snake at the overpass at Sand Patch summit. Pleasure to see the train, could've done without the snake!!!

[gabe]

How about the worst time?

In Illinois, it is the summer and fall. Even though this is the peek of traffic season, the State is one big corn field. This is really frustrating, as you know there are so many times you miss trains due to the corn obstructing your vision.

Gabe

[SALfan]

An abandoned right-of-way near where I grew up, abandoned in 1919.

[csmith9474]

East St. Louis

[gabe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csmith9474

East St. Louis

That is what I had in mind when I said dangerous places.

Gabe

[chad thomas]

The SD&IV between San Diego and San Yesidro. They only run freight late at night / early morning.[B)]

[emmar]

Anywhere outside Spokan ,WA. I sat at a siding there for a whole day and did not see a single train.

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

From the house on my farm. The line has been abandoned since 1943. You can catch a few snowmobiles in the winter.

Ya got me ... A RR in your area that was abandoned in 1943. Hmmm lets see, the MILW abandoned the line west of Darien ( the old R&SW) in the 80's...The line running East from Elkhorn was also in the 70s.... The little MILW line from Elkhorn to Eagle was torn out in the 30s... The CNW commuter line to Lake Geneva was unjustly torn out in the late 70s. Boy you got me stummped!!!!!!!! or do I have you confused with some one else?
Randy

[adrianspeeder]

Chester PA. Skinny white dude with a big truck like me would get shot lookin at trains.

Adrianspeeder

[espeefoamer]

Anywhwere in Hawaii.There a tourist line on Maui and a museum near Honolulu.There is NO reguler rail service in that state[:(]!

[jeaton]

Randy

Sorry to throw you for a loop, but the family farm is located in Lincoln County, WI about 1.5 miles SE of Gleason. The MILW had a branch line running from just North of Merrill to Gleason. In Gleason the line branched one Northward to Harrison and the other South East through our farm to a point called Grundy in Marathon County.

In comparison, I have great train "watching" in Delavan. We are a couple of blocks off the WSOR branch to Elkhorn. Can't see trains from the house, but I can hear them blow for all the crossings through town when the maybe once daily local comes through town, usualy in the middle of the night. I happen to actually see the train once in a blue moon. But they are there.

Jay

[Anonymous]

My grandma's house.You can here them but the DARN HOUSES ARE
IN THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!![banghead][censored][%-)][soapbox][tdn][tdn][tdn][xx(][xx(][V][:(!][:(!][B)][B)]

[CSXrules4eva]

QUOTE: Originally posted by npr765

My grandma's house.You can here them but the DARN HOUSES OUR IN THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!![banghead][censored][%-)][soapbox][tdn][tdn][tdn][xx(][xx(][V][:(!][:(!][B)][B)]

Really LOL!!! I know what you mean. I live with my gradmom her in Wyndmoor PA right outside of Philly. I have tons of Septa lines with in a radius of 1 to 3 miles from my house. I also have an NS line about 2 miles from my house. From my gradmom's house you can hear train horns eairly in the morrning and late at night but, can't see them because they're to darn far to see from here, plus I have hills all around me which kinda sux too.
I'm going to have to say some of the worst train watching spots are along certain Septa lines, and along NS's Williow Grove line ex PRR which only sees at the most 2 trains a day , most of them are intermodel. Landsdale, PA can be boring too, every time I go there, there is almost always the same power sitting there 24/7. Basicly, if you want to see some good action get out of the greater Philadelphia area, or just go out of state because, there isn't as much action here as it used to be when PRR was in charge. I know of more abandoned lines here in PA than I do active lines.

[upchuck]

In San Diego, across from the Convention Center, at 3AM, when they wake me up...

[Anonymous]

I hate Red Signals!
BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

I can't resist. As a pro in the business, it's true - between the rails (or right next to them, or on the property without authorization) is the worst. The next worst, though, is corporate HQ for a major carrier. Never get to see a train...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by emmar

Anywhere outside Spokan ,WA. I sat at a siding there for a whole day and did not see a single train.

Where exactly were you? BNSF's mainline through Spokane sees 50 to 60 trains a day, westbound when they get to Latah Junction half go north and west while the other half go south and west. At Fishlake westbound and Trent Junction eastbound UP goes on it's own with 5 or so per day. I think the Colville branch out of Spokane hosts one train per day, the PCC via the Marshall branch to the south maybe once or twice a week. UP's Plummer branch hosts a couple per week.

But as for Spokane, it is a glorified hobo camp/streetwalker convention/public urinal, not a place to be oblivious to those around you. Keep the car doors locked and an escape route handy.

I did stay at one of those so-called motels by Latah Junction one time. Great place to watch the rail action but I'd never go back again. Way too many social underachievers hanging around.

Pasco WA is another place that can have great train action but you're in constant fear for your safety, which can make it one of the worst train watching places.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by npr765

I have nothing but the rest of you can name yours.

Anywhere ??

[MP57313]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith
Try standing near the Alameda Corridor in South Central LA near Alameda Blvd. (dont wear red or blue, and dont make direct eye contact)

Or along the tracks near the Redondo Yard...(Bring lots of change for the homeless)

In LA there are several BAD places, not due to lack of trains, but due to being in the middle of Scary-ville. Places where if you stand around with a camera, you must have a deathwish.

That's for sure. At least you can tell by the graffiti -- layer upon layer -- "B's" and "Cs" crossed-out -- that you are in DANGEROUS territory. I have travelled through the area now and then but I would actually rate part of the Blue Line route/ex-P.E. as more dangerous, as far as being outside taking pictures. OK to ride inside the Blue Line trains just keep the foaming in check. The BNSF and UP tracks that run along the L.A. River look scary too...have ridden along there many times in Metrolink or Amtrak, but driving around the area...YIKES! Too many strange folk camped out under the bridge abutments.

In the Wilmington area they used to call a part of it the 'Third World'; haven't heard if it's still there...I think a lot of it was cleared out when they upgraded the southern end of the Corridor tracks. The 'Third World' was a homeless/druggie/criminal hangout...shacks and shelters.

As for inaccessible places...years ago I tried to find the grade separated crossing of Amtrak/CSX south of Baltimore. It is far enough from the scary-looking neighborhoods that it seemed ok to explore, but it was in some inaccessible area.

One other questionable-looking area is the former SAL yard near Richmond, VA. Didn't see anyone when the train crawled through there, but looked like there were plenty of places for troublemakers to lurk.

Finally, the East Line on San Diego's Light Rail system. Drove along it about 10 years ago and didn't like the look of some of it, so I've held off ever riding it. Have been to the east end past La Mesa and that seems fine.