Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 25, 2005 2:16 AM Rochelle is definately one place where I wanna go to if I wanna do some railfanning, I also wanna visit Chicago and do some railfanning there as well, what are some of the best areas to watch the trains go by the Chicago area? QUOTE: Originally posted by mrunyan Sure Rochelle sees 100 trains a day and some are really great, new equipment, brand new centerbeams being delivered, old SD9's believe it or not. Mostly intermodal on UP due to Global 3 yard just west of it, and some locals. But it is just 2 lines going into Chicago which sees at least 500 trains a day, where's the best viewing, I'll leave to the more learned, and some have stated spots already. Stay safe. Reply Edit Wdlgln005 Member sinceApril 2002 From: Nashville TN 1,306 posts Posted by Wdlgln005 on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:37 PM It would be fun to have a helicopter & do another Chicago Odyssey for trains coming into & out of the area. Might even make a great page in Trains to show the remaining hotspots. Starting with the North lines, Soo/CN, MILW/Soo, or C&NW/UP? going to the West side, ATSF, BN, C&NW/UP? how busy is Corwith (ATSF)? not forgetting the GM&O/ICG/UP Alton line? moving further south IC/CN Mopac/UP/L&NCSX? then the state line on the East NYC/Conral etc what a jumble of roads & connections from the "premerger" days! From Rondout to McCook to Dolton, what are the hot spots of 2005? For commuter service, it seems Metra is busier than ever. Perhaps Amtrak has something to learn from them! Glenn Woodle Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:10 PM Where are there 500 trains a day[?][?][?][?][?] Originally posted by mrunyan Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply mrunyan Member sinceAugust 2004 50 posts Posted by mrunyan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 11:59 AM Sure Rochelle sees 100 trains a day and some are really great, new equipment, brand new centerbeams being delivered, old SD9's believe it or not. Mostly intermodal on UP due to Global 3 yard just west of it, and some locals. But it is just 2 lines going into Chicago which sees at least 500 trains a day, where's the best viewing, I'll leave to the more learned, and some have stated spots already. Stay safe. Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:18 AM Have you ever been to say Cajon Pass, Barstow, Daggett, Colton or Riverside? If not how can you compare those western spots to Reading? [:o)][:p] Originally posted by conman [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply conman Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: US 4 posts Posted by conman on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:57 AM Don't have to go West to see trains. NS around Reading, PA, Rockville Bridge area, Altoona all see a good amount of long freights. Stay East! Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:37 AM Yes my wife wanted to know why I wanted to go to all this different towns in Utah to railfan & I told her each place is like watching a different movie & you never know what you are going to see until you get their. I was invovled in a tornado in May near Gibbon & see my web site to view the results of that experience. Also came across a train wreck on my way back to Omaha from Gibbon which is also on my web site Sombody else mentioned Vancouver Jct & I will be there beginning of Oct to see it live & in person. Funny I was in Hinkle to see the loco shop there last May Originally posted by wcaudle [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply eolafan Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Aurora, IL 4,515 posts Posted by eolafan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:26 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 The railroad tracks that went at the Chicago Racetrack, wasn't the line formerly used by Burlington Northern or ATSF? About how many times per day (on average) would you see a train at the Chicago Racetrack? BNSF's Chicago Racetrak must be high on the list. The hourly commuters add up, + 3 Amtrak + freight. This may be a question that's impossible to answer. If you set up say at La Grange Road & counted how many trains operate in each direction on a weekday? Good exchange of information...to answer your question, the BNSF Chicago "Racetrack" goes from downtown Chicago to Aurora, about 36 miles as the crow flies, and sees about an average of 75 freight movements a day (plus locals and misc. power moves, etc.) as well as several dozen Metra and six Amtrak trains per day, making for a very busy stretch of track (triple track for most of the line). The Racetrack was originally CB&Q and then BN before becoming BNSF some years back. Rochelle has the old C&NW line (now UP) and the old CB&Q line known as the C&I to and from Minneapolis crossing at grade...this is a wonderful place to catch about 100 trains a day and a foamers delight. Hope this helps! Enjoy! Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim) Reply theswitchman Member sinceNovember 2004 From: NV 26 posts Posted by theswitchman on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:28 PM Shouldn't Mr.Hemphill be keeping his head down? Reply BrianLM007 Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Near CI&L South Hammond Yard 32 posts Posted by BrianLM007 on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:56 PM This isn't exactly a line, per se, but it does see many trains in a given day: State Line Interlocking in Hammond, IN. You get to see a little bit of everything from locals (IHB, the CSS&SB, and CSX, NS to a smaller extent), unit trains (CSX (B&OCT) & NS (ex Nickel Plate) to commuter trains (NICTD, better known as the South Shore Line). Even now, this still has to be one of the busiest interlockings in the U.S. Reply wcaudle Member sinceMarch 2001 From: US 36 posts Posted by wcaudle on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:25 PM I have railfanned most of the lower 48. I was raised near Hinkle OR, near the Tri-Cities. I am a UP fan, first and foremost, but I enjoy the ATSF, as they run some serious high speed trains across the Mohave. I have been to Fostoria OH and Horseshoe Curve PA, but my top 10 will be: 1) the 3 and 4 track service from West of North Platte to Gibbon NE; 2) Barstow area, including Tehachapi; 3) Rochelle IL; 4)Amarillo TX - 5 mains cross there; 5) The awesome Powder River Basin in WY; 6) Vancouver WA junction; 7) the Racetrack at Aurora; 8) the Funnel just East of Spokane WA; 9) Belen NM; and 10)anywhere around Kansas City. Railfanning is like a collection, it is your own, with your own styles and twists. Have fun, be friendly and be safe. Semper Fi I love the Rails - especially the European Train and Trams (Stadtbahn). Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:38 PM Sept-June it's usually quite tolerable out that way. Bad neighborhoods and railroads go hand in hand. It doesn't bother me at all as I've lived in some of the roughest hoods there are, but out of towners should be forewarned. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:22 PM I do hear that it's really hot to watch the trains in the Barstow-Daggett area in the summertime, what time of year would you recommend going to Barstow-Daggett, I've never seen a train go 70mph before and that is definately something I would like to see. It's kind of unfortunate about the railroad tracks in Stockton and Colton that they have to be located in a not so good neighborhood, I've done some railfanning in Pasco and it's not a good neighborhood, I like to go railfanning outside the city limits rather than inside the city limits. I can understand why you favor UP over BNSF cause it brings you back some memories of your favorite railroad, although I love both railroads, I prefer BNSF slightly over UP cause I had alot of fond memories with BN, SP is also one of my favorite railroads. Reply Edit tregurtha Member sinceApril 2004 104 posts Posted by tregurtha on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:16 PM I have to agree with the comment about the CSX Willard Sub between Deshler and Fostoria, Ohio. I've not been to Deshler, but I've spent some time at the CSX/NS diamond in Fostoria. It can be a regular parade most days with upwards of 100 trains a day possible. The Amtrak station is a great place to plop a chair and watch the action! Ross R. Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:05 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? LA&SL was the Los Angeles & Salt Lake [city]. That was the UP subsidiary that built between San Pedro and Salt Lake City (I think it was originaly the San Pedro, Los Angles & Salt Lake SPLA&SL). Before the merger with SP this was UPs sole route into southern California. Yes, Dagget is east of Barstow. It's a couple miles from the outskirts of Barstow. And it is an excellent place to break out your lounge chair and cooler and watch the action pass by, some of it at 70mph. But this is the wrong time to be there because it gets HOT out there. Stockton and Colton are busy crossings and great places to see tons of action but are not in the greatest neighborhoods. I prefer to do my fanning out of town where I can relax and enjoy myself. As for BNSF vs UP I am an SP fan so I might favor UP by default but I like em both. Fortunatly there are many places in California where they both run. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:43 PM Re: Chad's mention of Sandpoint above. Don't forget MRL, and tiny little POVA. This is not a single-route scenario, however. UP crosses BNSF on a diamond at one spot; BNSF and MRL converge at another spot. The most congested part of the Funnel is Napa Street interlocking just east of downtown Spokane. Has all of the Funnel's BNSF and MRL run-through trains, plus UP trains on/off the SI enter BNSF track here and UP trains in/out of the UP Yard (which aren't seen at Sandpoint) enter BNSF track here. In addition, various daily moves on/off the Kettle Falls line, and BNSF or UP interchange moves to/from adjacent Erie Street Yard. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:34 PM You're a very lucky man getting to watch the trains going through your town well over a 100 trains a day, the town I'm from (I live in SE Washington state) we only get about 5-7 trains a week and they're the small freights, do you see more BNSF trains or the UP trains? In Pasco, WA (about 45 miles from where I live) you see about 50-60 trains in a 24 hour period on the BNSF (formerly BN) line from the Vancouver-Spokane line. QUOTE: Originally posted by chiripero I agree with teamdon about the Needles Subdivision on the Mojave Desert in California. I live in Helendale, CA just west of Barstow and we get about 122 trains a day (BNSF & UP combined) on a double track main through here on the way to Cajon Pass. I have watched many trains here, Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Pass ( just over an hour away) and also out on the desert east of Barstow all the way to Needles. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else for train watching all year around ! Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:29 PM What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:16 PM that is a lot of trains 800. i thought running 100 freights a day out here was a lot Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 12:30 PM Thanks for that info about Vancouver WA as I will be there beginning of Oct. [:o)][:p][:)] Originally posted by chad thomas [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply oltmannd Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: Atlanta 11,971 posts Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:55 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Yup. It's between Decatur and Peru. It's not nearly as heavy as the NS Pittsburgh and Chicago Lines, though, but, then, those are double track. -Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/) Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:48 AM Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Tharmeni Member sinceJuly 2003 From: Southwestern Florida 501 posts Posted by Tharmeni on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:20 AM The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
QUOTE: Originally posted by mrunyan Sure Rochelle sees 100 trains a day and some are really great, new equipment, brand new centerbeams being delivered, old SD9's believe it or not. Mostly intermodal on UP due to Global 3 yard just west of it, and some locals. But it is just 2 lines going into Chicago which sees at least 500 trains a day, where's the best viewing, I'll leave to the more learned, and some have stated spots already. Stay safe.
Originally posted by mrunyan Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply mrunyan Member sinceAugust 2004 50 posts Posted by mrunyan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 11:59 AM Sure Rochelle sees 100 trains a day and some are really great, new equipment, brand new centerbeams being delivered, old SD9's believe it or not. Mostly intermodal on UP due to Global 3 yard just west of it, and some locals. But it is just 2 lines going into Chicago which sees at least 500 trains a day, where's the best viewing, I'll leave to the more learned, and some have stated spots already. Stay safe. Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:18 AM Have you ever been to say Cajon Pass, Barstow, Daggett, Colton or Riverside? If not how can you compare those western spots to Reading? [:o)][:p] Originally posted by conman [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply conman Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: US 4 posts Posted by conman on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:57 AM Don't have to go West to see trains. NS around Reading, PA, Rockville Bridge area, Altoona all see a good amount of long freights. Stay East! Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:37 AM Yes my wife wanted to know why I wanted to go to all this different towns in Utah to railfan & I told her each place is like watching a different movie & you never know what you are going to see until you get their. I was invovled in a tornado in May near Gibbon & see my web site to view the results of that experience. Also came across a train wreck on my way back to Omaha from Gibbon which is also on my web site Sombody else mentioned Vancouver Jct & I will be there beginning of Oct to see it live & in person. Funny I was in Hinkle to see the loco shop there last May Originally posted by wcaudle [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply eolafan Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Aurora, IL 4,515 posts Posted by eolafan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:26 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 The railroad tracks that went at the Chicago Racetrack, wasn't the line formerly used by Burlington Northern or ATSF? About how many times per day (on average) would you see a train at the Chicago Racetrack? BNSF's Chicago Racetrak must be high on the list. The hourly commuters add up, + 3 Amtrak + freight. This may be a question that's impossible to answer. If you set up say at La Grange Road & counted how many trains operate in each direction on a weekday? Good exchange of information...to answer your question, the BNSF Chicago "Racetrack" goes from downtown Chicago to Aurora, about 36 miles as the crow flies, and sees about an average of 75 freight movements a day (plus locals and misc. power moves, etc.) as well as several dozen Metra and six Amtrak trains per day, making for a very busy stretch of track (triple track for most of the line). The Racetrack was originally CB&Q and then BN before becoming BNSF some years back. Rochelle has the old C&NW line (now UP) and the old CB&Q line known as the C&I to and from Minneapolis crossing at grade...this is a wonderful place to catch about 100 trains a day and a foamers delight. Hope this helps! Enjoy! Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim) Reply theswitchman Member sinceNovember 2004 From: NV 26 posts Posted by theswitchman on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:28 PM Shouldn't Mr.Hemphill be keeping his head down? Reply BrianLM007 Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Near CI&L South Hammond Yard 32 posts Posted by BrianLM007 on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:56 PM This isn't exactly a line, per se, but it does see many trains in a given day: State Line Interlocking in Hammond, IN. You get to see a little bit of everything from locals (IHB, the CSS&SB, and CSX, NS to a smaller extent), unit trains (CSX (B&OCT) & NS (ex Nickel Plate) to commuter trains (NICTD, better known as the South Shore Line). Even now, this still has to be one of the busiest interlockings in the U.S. Reply wcaudle Member sinceMarch 2001 From: US 36 posts Posted by wcaudle on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:25 PM I have railfanned most of the lower 48. I was raised near Hinkle OR, near the Tri-Cities. I am a UP fan, first and foremost, but I enjoy the ATSF, as they run some serious high speed trains across the Mohave. I have been to Fostoria OH and Horseshoe Curve PA, but my top 10 will be: 1) the 3 and 4 track service from West of North Platte to Gibbon NE; 2) Barstow area, including Tehachapi; 3) Rochelle IL; 4)Amarillo TX - 5 mains cross there; 5) The awesome Powder River Basin in WY; 6) Vancouver WA junction; 7) the Racetrack at Aurora; 8) the Funnel just East of Spokane WA; 9) Belen NM; and 10)anywhere around Kansas City. Railfanning is like a collection, it is your own, with your own styles and twists. Have fun, be friendly and be safe. Semper Fi I love the Rails - especially the European Train and Trams (Stadtbahn). Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:38 PM Sept-June it's usually quite tolerable out that way. Bad neighborhoods and railroads go hand in hand. It doesn't bother me at all as I've lived in some of the roughest hoods there are, but out of towners should be forewarned. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:22 PM I do hear that it's really hot to watch the trains in the Barstow-Daggett area in the summertime, what time of year would you recommend going to Barstow-Daggett, I've never seen a train go 70mph before and that is definately something I would like to see. It's kind of unfortunate about the railroad tracks in Stockton and Colton that they have to be located in a not so good neighborhood, I've done some railfanning in Pasco and it's not a good neighborhood, I like to go railfanning outside the city limits rather than inside the city limits. I can understand why you favor UP over BNSF cause it brings you back some memories of your favorite railroad, although I love both railroads, I prefer BNSF slightly over UP cause I had alot of fond memories with BN, SP is also one of my favorite railroads. Reply Edit tregurtha Member sinceApril 2004 104 posts Posted by tregurtha on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:16 PM I have to agree with the comment about the CSX Willard Sub between Deshler and Fostoria, Ohio. I've not been to Deshler, but I've spent some time at the CSX/NS diamond in Fostoria. It can be a regular parade most days with upwards of 100 trains a day possible. The Amtrak station is a great place to plop a chair and watch the action! Ross R. Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:05 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? LA&SL was the Los Angeles & Salt Lake [city]. That was the UP subsidiary that built between San Pedro and Salt Lake City (I think it was originaly the San Pedro, Los Angles & Salt Lake SPLA&SL). Before the merger with SP this was UPs sole route into southern California. Yes, Dagget is east of Barstow. It's a couple miles from the outskirts of Barstow. And it is an excellent place to break out your lounge chair and cooler and watch the action pass by, some of it at 70mph. But this is the wrong time to be there because it gets HOT out there. Stockton and Colton are busy crossings and great places to see tons of action but are not in the greatest neighborhoods. I prefer to do my fanning out of town where I can relax and enjoy myself. As for BNSF vs UP I am an SP fan so I might favor UP by default but I like em both. Fortunatly there are many places in California where they both run. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:43 PM Re: Chad's mention of Sandpoint above. Don't forget MRL, and tiny little POVA. This is not a single-route scenario, however. UP crosses BNSF on a diamond at one spot; BNSF and MRL converge at another spot. The most congested part of the Funnel is Napa Street interlocking just east of downtown Spokane. Has all of the Funnel's BNSF and MRL run-through trains, plus UP trains on/off the SI enter BNSF track here and UP trains in/out of the UP Yard (which aren't seen at Sandpoint) enter BNSF track here. In addition, various daily moves on/off the Kettle Falls line, and BNSF or UP interchange moves to/from adjacent Erie Street Yard. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:34 PM You're a very lucky man getting to watch the trains going through your town well over a 100 trains a day, the town I'm from (I live in SE Washington state) we only get about 5-7 trains a week and they're the small freights, do you see more BNSF trains or the UP trains? In Pasco, WA (about 45 miles from where I live) you see about 50-60 trains in a 24 hour period on the BNSF (formerly BN) line from the Vancouver-Spokane line. QUOTE: Originally posted by chiripero I agree with teamdon about the Needles Subdivision on the Mojave Desert in California. I live in Helendale, CA just west of Barstow and we get about 122 trains a day (BNSF & UP combined) on a double track main through here on the way to Cajon Pass. I have watched many trains here, Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Pass ( just over an hour away) and also out on the desert east of Barstow all the way to Needles. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else for train watching all year around ! Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:29 PM What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:16 PM that is a lot of trains 800. i thought running 100 freights a day out here was a lot Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 12:30 PM Thanks for that info about Vancouver WA as I will be there beginning of Oct. [:o)][:p][:)] Originally posted by chad thomas [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply oltmannd Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: Atlanta 11,971 posts Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:55 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Yup. It's between Decatur and Peru. It's not nearly as heavy as the NS Pittsburgh and Chicago Lines, though, but, then, those are double track. -Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/) Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:48 AM Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Tharmeni Member sinceJuly 2003 From: Southwestern Florida 501 posts Posted by Tharmeni on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:20 AM The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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Originally posted by conman [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply conman Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: US 4 posts Posted by conman on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:57 AM Don't have to go West to see trains. NS around Reading, PA, Rockville Bridge area, Altoona all see a good amount of long freights. Stay East! Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:37 AM Yes my wife wanted to know why I wanted to go to all this different towns in Utah to railfan & I told her each place is like watching a different movie & you never know what you are going to see until you get their. I was invovled in a tornado in May near Gibbon & see my web site to view the results of that experience. Also came across a train wreck on my way back to Omaha from Gibbon which is also on my web site Sombody else mentioned Vancouver Jct & I will be there beginning of Oct to see it live & in person. Funny I was in Hinkle to see the loco shop there last May Originally posted by wcaudle [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply eolafan Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Aurora, IL 4,515 posts Posted by eolafan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:26 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 The railroad tracks that went at the Chicago Racetrack, wasn't the line formerly used by Burlington Northern or ATSF? About how many times per day (on average) would you see a train at the Chicago Racetrack? BNSF's Chicago Racetrak must be high on the list. The hourly commuters add up, + 3 Amtrak + freight. This may be a question that's impossible to answer. If you set up say at La Grange Road & counted how many trains operate in each direction on a weekday? Good exchange of information...to answer your question, the BNSF Chicago "Racetrack" goes from downtown Chicago to Aurora, about 36 miles as the crow flies, and sees about an average of 75 freight movements a day (plus locals and misc. power moves, etc.) as well as several dozen Metra and six Amtrak trains per day, making for a very busy stretch of track (triple track for most of the line). The Racetrack was originally CB&Q and then BN before becoming BNSF some years back. Rochelle has the old C&NW line (now UP) and the old CB&Q line known as the C&I to and from Minneapolis crossing at grade...this is a wonderful place to catch about 100 trains a day and a foamers delight. Hope this helps! Enjoy! Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim) Reply theswitchman Member sinceNovember 2004 From: NV 26 posts Posted by theswitchman on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:28 PM Shouldn't Mr.Hemphill be keeping his head down? Reply BrianLM007 Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Near CI&L South Hammond Yard 32 posts Posted by BrianLM007 on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:56 PM This isn't exactly a line, per se, but it does see many trains in a given day: State Line Interlocking in Hammond, IN. You get to see a little bit of everything from locals (IHB, the CSS&SB, and CSX, NS to a smaller extent), unit trains (CSX (B&OCT) & NS (ex Nickel Plate) to commuter trains (NICTD, better known as the South Shore Line). Even now, this still has to be one of the busiest interlockings in the U.S. Reply wcaudle Member sinceMarch 2001 From: US 36 posts Posted by wcaudle on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:25 PM I have railfanned most of the lower 48. I was raised near Hinkle OR, near the Tri-Cities. I am a UP fan, first and foremost, but I enjoy the ATSF, as they run some serious high speed trains across the Mohave. I have been to Fostoria OH and Horseshoe Curve PA, but my top 10 will be: 1) the 3 and 4 track service from West of North Platte to Gibbon NE; 2) Barstow area, including Tehachapi; 3) Rochelle IL; 4)Amarillo TX - 5 mains cross there; 5) The awesome Powder River Basin in WY; 6) Vancouver WA junction; 7) the Racetrack at Aurora; 8) the Funnel just East of Spokane WA; 9) Belen NM; and 10)anywhere around Kansas City. Railfanning is like a collection, it is your own, with your own styles and twists. Have fun, be friendly and be safe. Semper Fi I love the Rails - especially the European Train and Trams (Stadtbahn). Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:38 PM Sept-June it's usually quite tolerable out that way. Bad neighborhoods and railroads go hand in hand. It doesn't bother me at all as I've lived in some of the roughest hoods there are, but out of towners should be forewarned. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:22 PM I do hear that it's really hot to watch the trains in the Barstow-Daggett area in the summertime, what time of year would you recommend going to Barstow-Daggett, I've never seen a train go 70mph before and that is definately something I would like to see. It's kind of unfortunate about the railroad tracks in Stockton and Colton that they have to be located in a not so good neighborhood, I've done some railfanning in Pasco and it's not a good neighborhood, I like to go railfanning outside the city limits rather than inside the city limits. I can understand why you favor UP over BNSF cause it brings you back some memories of your favorite railroad, although I love both railroads, I prefer BNSF slightly over UP cause I had alot of fond memories with BN, SP is also one of my favorite railroads. Reply Edit tregurtha Member sinceApril 2004 104 posts Posted by tregurtha on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:16 PM I have to agree with the comment about the CSX Willard Sub between Deshler and Fostoria, Ohio. I've not been to Deshler, but I've spent some time at the CSX/NS diamond in Fostoria. It can be a regular parade most days with upwards of 100 trains a day possible. The Amtrak station is a great place to plop a chair and watch the action! Ross R. Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:05 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? LA&SL was the Los Angeles & Salt Lake [city]. That was the UP subsidiary that built between San Pedro and Salt Lake City (I think it was originaly the San Pedro, Los Angles & Salt Lake SPLA&SL). Before the merger with SP this was UPs sole route into southern California. Yes, Dagget is east of Barstow. It's a couple miles from the outskirts of Barstow. And it is an excellent place to break out your lounge chair and cooler and watch the action pass by, some of it at 70mph. But this is the wrong time to be there because it gets HOT out there. Stockton and Colton are busy crossings and great places to see tons of action but are not in the greatest neighborhoods. I prefer to do my fanning out of town where I can relax and enjoy myself. As for BNSF vs UP I am an SP fan so I might favor UP by default but I like em both. Fortunatly there are many places in California where they both run. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:43 PM Re: Chad's mention of Sandpoint above. Don't forget MRL, and tiny little POVA. This is not a single-route scenario, however. UP crosses BNSF on a diamond at one spot; BNSF and MRL converge at another spot. The most congested part of the Funnel is Napa Street interlocking just east of downtown Spokane. Has all of the Funnel's BNSF and MRL run-through trains, plus UP trains on/off the SI enter BNSF track here and UP trains in/out of the UP Yard (which aren't seen at Sandpoint) enter BNSF track here. In addition, various daily moves on/off the Kettle Falls line, and BNSF or UP interchange moves to/from adjacent Erie Street Yard. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:34 PM You're a very lucky man getting to watch the trains going through your town well over a 100 trains a day, the town I'm from (I live in SE Washington state) we only get about 5-7 trains a week and they're the small freights, do you see more BNSF trains or the UP trains? In Pasco, WA (about 45 miles from where I live) you see about 50-60 trains in a 24 hour period on the BNSF (formerly BN) line from the Vancouver-Spokane line. QUOTE: Originally posted by chiripero I agree with teamdon about the Needles Subdivision on the Mojave Desert in California. I live in Helendale, CA just west of Barstow and we get about 122 trains a day (BNSF & UP combined) on a double track main through here on the way to Cajon Pass. I have watched many trains here, Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Pass ( just over an hour away) and also out on the desert east of Barstow all the way to Needles. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else for train watching all year around ! Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:29 PM What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines? QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:16 PM that is a lot of trains 800. i thought running 100 freights a day out here was a lot Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 12:30 PM Thanks for that info about Vancouver WA as I will be there beginning of Oct. [:o)][:p][:)] Originally posted by chad thomas [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply oltmannd Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: Atlanta 11,971 posts Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:55 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Yup. It's between Decatur and Peru. It's not nearly as heavy as the NS Pittsburgh and Chicago Lines, though, but, then, those are double track. -Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/) Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:48 AM Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Tharmeni Member sinceJuly 2003 From: Southwestern Florida 501 posts Posted by Tharmeni on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:20 AM The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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Originally posted by wcaudle [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply eolafan Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Aurora, IL 4,515 posts Posted by eolafan on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:26 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 The railroad tracks that went at the Chicago Racetrack, wasn't the line formerly used by Burlington Northern or ATSF? About how many times per day (on average) would you see a train at the Chicago Racetrack? BNSF's Chicago Racetrak must be high on the list. The hourly commuters add up, + 3 Amtrak + freight. This may be a question that's impossible to answer. If you set up say at La Grange Road & counted how many trains operate in each direction on a weekday?
QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 The railroad tracks that went at the Chicago Racetrack, wasn't the line formerly used by Burlington Northern or ATSF? About how many times per day (on average) would you see a train at the Chicago Racetrack? BNSF's Chicago Racetrak must be high on the list. The hourly commuters add up, + 3 Amtrak + freight. This may be a question that's impossible to answer. If you set up say at La Grange Road & counted how many trains operate in each direction on a weekday?
QUOTE: Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737 What does LA&SL stand for? I don't think that I've ever heard of that railroad company before, Colton sounds like a great area to watch the trains go by, I would like to visit the San Bernardino area and watch the trains go by, is Daggett east of Barstow? I do hear that Stockton is a really good place to go railfanning and parts of Central California, which line do you recommend to go railfanning between the UP or the BNSF lines?
QUOTE: Originally posted by chiripero I agree with teamdon about the Needles Subdivision on the Mojave Desert in California. I live in Helendale, CA just west of Barstow and we get about 122 trains a day (BNSF & UP combined) on a double track main through here on the way to Cajon Pass. I have watched many trains here, Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Pass ( just over an hour away) and also out on the desert east of Barstow all the way to Needles. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else for train watching all year around !
QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day)
Originally posted by chad thomas [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply oltmannd Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: Atlanta 11,971 posts Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:55 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Yup. It's between Decatur and Peru. It's not nearly as heavy as the NS Pittsburgh and Chicago Lines, though, but, then, those are double track. -Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/) Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:48 AM Out west I would say: Colton,Ca (UP BNSF xing)...........All traffic to/from the east of LA/San Diego passes here except some UP trains for the LA&SL route.(100+ per day) Dagget,Ca.................All BNSF ex SF transcon traffic into California, Amtrak's Southwest Chief , And all LA&SL traffic passes by on the tracks between Dagget and Barstow,Ca. (75+ per day) Stockton tower (tower is gone)...........All UP north-south traffic that does not take the coast line, All BNSFnorth-south traffic and all BNSF bay area traffic, and the Amtrak San Joaquin trains pass through here. Plus transfers between yards. (50+ per day) Sandpoint,Id.............AKA The Funnel. All BNSF Pacific Northwest traffic to/from the east passes through here along with the Empire Builder. And UPs Spokane International line runs through here too with all there CP interchange traffic to/from Kingsgate/Eastport. (50+ per day) Vancouver jct.,Wa.............All BNSF traffic through the Columbia river george, All BNSF traffic to/from Oregon, all UP traffic to the north (Seattle/Tacoma), the Amtrak Cascade corridor trains,Empire Builder (Portland sect.) and Coast Starlight all pass through here. (60+per day) Reply Tharmeni Member sinceJuly 2003 From: Southwestern Florida 501 posts Posted by Tharmeni on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 11:20 AM The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5. Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni The NS line through Lafayette Indiana has got to be in the top 5.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
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