Hot Spots

[Anonymous]

I'm Wondering about any good Hot Spots to go train watch around my home town of Grand Haven other than Holland and Grand Rapids that I could go to in a day? And where it is legal and safe to park?

[Anonymous]

Try the Amtrak station in Kalamazoo, or "BO" tower, just east of the station. The CN (ex GTW)/NS crossing in Schoolcraft is also a good spot. Back and forth in a day? Several spots in northwestern Indiana, convenient to I80-94, check your maps. Stay on public property.

[Anonymous]

The place I recommend would be more than one day from you, probably a 10-12 hour drive, but the action is almost non-stop. Grand Island, Nebraska is the location, and 130 to 150 trains pass through daily. UP's Overland Route passes through town with numerous coal trains, merchandise trains and at least two dozen intermodal/container trains daily. Then to top that, BNSF has a main which passes over the top of the UP. The BNSF line is mostly coal trains, but there are at least a dozen mixed freights and a few intermodals. You can park your vehicle about 100 yards west of the BNSF/UP overpass. And the views are fantastic. It is possible to catch a few times everyday an eastbound and westbound UP trains going under the BNSF overpass while a BNSF train passes overhead. During the summertime, there is almost always a railfan, or railfans at this location. I know it is a long stretch, but sometime you need to see this. It is really something! RG