Favorite railfan locations and/or railroads

[Anonymous]

I usually head down to Roberts Bank in Delta, BC.....
mostly because it is a 5 minute drive from my house.

Lots of CP coal and CP and CN intermodal, apparently BNSF sometimes makes an appearance with coal, but I have yet to see them.

It's on BC Rail's tracks, but I haven't seen any BC Rail power on it for years (might just be a coincidence).

Another good spot is in New Westminster by the Quay. There's a triple track there with CP, BNSF and Southern Railway of BC.

[Anonymous]

I usually head down to Roberts Bank in Delta, BC.....
mostly because it is a 5 minute drive from my house.

Lots of CP coal and CP and CN intermodal, apparently BNSF sometimes makes an appearance with coal, but I have yet to see them.

It's on BC Rail's tracks, but I haven't seen any BC Rail power on it for years (might just be a coincidence).

Another good spot is in New Westminster by the Quay. There's a triple track there with CP, BNSF and Southern Railway of BC.

[The Block House]

I live in Jonesboro, Arkansas and do we have the trains. The old Frisco main line from Memphis, TN to Springfield, MO cross the Cotton Belt from Ilmo, MO to Pine Bluff, AR. Of course the Frisco is part of the BNSF and the Cotten Belt is part of the UP. The trains on the BNSF number about 30 a day. They move north and south through town and the best days are Thursday through Saturday. There is a lot of day light action on both railroads. The UP runs 95% of its trains southbound through town. The two tracks cross just east of Arkansas State University property. This crossing takes place under a major North South street . (Carraway) I hope you will stop in our town to do some train watching soon.

[The Block House]

I live in Jonesboro, Arkansas and do we have the trains. The old Frisco main line from Memphis, TN to Springfield, MO cross the Cotton Belt from Ilmo, MO to Pine Bluff, AR. Of course the Frisco is part of the BNSF and the Cotten Belt is part of the UP. The trains on the BNSF number about 30 a day. They move north and south through town and the best days are Thursday through Saturday. There is a lot of day light action on both railroads. The UP runs 95% of its trains southbound through town. The two tracks cross just east of Arkansas State University property. This crossing takes place under a major North South street . (Carraway) I hope you will stop in our town to do some train watching soon.

[wcfan4ever]

I'll have to go with these:

1) Porter/Chesterton, IN
2) Byron Hill, WI
3) Duplainville, WI
4) Rochelle, IL
5) LaCrosse, WI
6) Kansas City, KS
7) Neenah, WI
8) Stevens Point, WI
9) Harvey, IL
10) Fond du Lac, WI

[wcfan4ever]

I'll have to go with these:

1) Porter/Chesterton, IN
2) Byron Hill, WI
3) Duplainville, WI
4) Rochelle, IL
5) LaCrosse, WI
6) Kansas City, KS
7) Neenah, WI
8) Stevens Point, WI
9) Harvey, IL
10) Fond du Lac, WI

[Anonymous]

I`m prettty lucky in this aspect. Behind the Providence Northern Railroad modelers club
is a small freight yard off the main line, and both express and freight engines are frequent sites to see.

[Anonymous]

I`m prettty lucky in this aspect. Behind the Providence Northern Railroad modelers club
is a small freight yard off the main line, and both express and freight engines are frequent sites to see.

[Willy2]

My favorite railfan locations are: Kearney, Nebraska, Gibbon, Nebraska, Greenwood, Nebraska, and Fremont, Nebraska. Council Bluffs, Iowa is also a good place to see lots of trains. My favorite railroad is the BNSF followed by Norfolk Southern.

Willy

[Willy2]

My favorite railfan locations are: Kearney, Nebraska, Gibbon, Nebraska, Greenwood, Nebraska, and Fremont, Nebraska. Council Bluffs, Iowa is also a good place to see lots of trains. My favorite railroad is the BNSF followed by Norfolk Southern.

Willy

[Anonymous]

Not one of the previous replies mentioned the LaCrosse area, but then again, perhaps all of the train buffs up there (125 miles from me) are too busy catching the action tonight!. I think this Mississippi River city was mentioned in one of the previous Trains Magazines in the article called "Overrated." In short, it is a great spot to watch a number of freights crossing over the river from the Minnesota side and coming into LaCrosse. From the east, west, and south and the north, the city is deluged with RR tracks. UP, CP and the BNSF offer plenty of action for the railfanners in the area. The scenery is second to none. The bluffs, the river, the valley offer breathtaking views that will keep you captivated for hours. But I have a confession to make. I am just returning to the region on a limited basis from time to time as I reside in Wisconsin's capitol city of Madison, having moved away from LaCrosse back in 1966. The trains in LaX make me wi***hat I should have stayed there but when you were a kid back then (unlike some of the kids of today) you obeyed your Mom and Dad and went with them. Oh, how I wish I could return to the days when I was a kid and would watch those screaming streamliners and freights sail into the city, right outside of the windows of the school I was in. I could say more but I am sure that all of us have a story to share----especially one from the past.

Signed, A born-again-railfanner

Pirschnut

[Anonymous]

Not one of the previous replies mentioned the LaCrosse area, but then again, perhaps all of the train buffs up there (125 miles from me) are too busy catching the action tonight!. I think this Mississippi River city was mentioned in one of the previous Trains Magazines in the article called "Overrated." In short, it is a great spot to watch a number of freights crossing over the river from the Minnesota side and coming into LaCrosse. From the east, west, and south and the north, the city is deluged with RR tracks. UP, CP and the BNSF offer plenty of action for the railfanners in the area. The scenery is second to none. The bluffs, the river, the valley offer breathtaking views that will keep you captivated for hours. But I have a confession to make. I am just returning to the region on a limited basis from time to time as I reside in Wisconsin's capitol city of Madison, having moved away from LaCrosse back in 1966. The trains in LaX make me wi***hat I should have stayed there but when you were a kid back then (unlike some of the kids of today) you obeyed your Mom and Dad and went with them. Oh, how I wish I could return to the days when I was a kid and would watch those screaming streamliners and freights sail into the city, right outside of the windows of the school I was in. I could say more but I am sure that all of us have a story to share----especially one from the past.

Signed, A born-again-railfanner

Pirschnut

[wcfan4ever]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Pirschnut

Not one of the previous replies mentioned the LaCrosse area, but then again, perhaps all of the train buffs up there (125 miles from me) are too busy catching the action tonight!

Signed, A born-again-railfanner

Pirschnut

I did indeed have LaCrosse on my list. I go there once a year for RailFair at Copeland Park. I love the trains going through the area. Occaisional cabooses will show up on the UP train that goes through. Plenty of trains and your right, the scenery is great!

[wcfan4ever]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Pirschnut

Not one of the previous replies mentioned the LaCrosse area, but then again, perhaps all of the train buffs up there (125 miles from me) are too busy catching the action tonight!

Signed, A born-again-railfanner

Pirschnut

I did indeed have LaCrosse on my list. I go there once a year for RailFair at Copeland Park. I love the trains going through the area. Occaisional cabooses will show up on the UP train that goes through. Plenty of trains and your right, the scenery is great!

[Anonymous]

I have extensivly railfanned the west coast and there are many awsome locations. But I have to say hands down my favorite is Cajon pass. There are unlimited photo locations, Ihave several shots with 4 trains at the same time (3 moving and one in the hole). The action is non stop (although there does tend to be afternoon luls in the beginning of the week).
There is nothing like standing between two trains passing, one in run-8 going uphill and one in full dynamics,brakes screaming, going downhill. And there are several locations where you can experience this. I've even had this happen while SP's tank train was climbing the hill over on it's line with 9 big SDs going full throttle doing 10 MPH, the noise was so awsome it just blows any other train watching spot smooth away !!!!

[Anonymous]

I have extensivly railfanned the west coast and there are many awsome locations. But I have to say hands down my favorite is Cajon pass. There are unlimited photo locations, Ihave several shots with 4 trains at the same time (3 moving and one in the hole). The action is non stop (although there does tend to be afternoon luls in the beginning of the week).
There is nothing like standing between two trains passing, one in run-8 going uphill and one in full dynamics,brakes screaming, going downhill. And there are several locations where you can experience this. I've even had this happen while SP's tank train was climbing the hill over on it's line with 9 big SDs going full throttle doing 10 MPH, the noise was so awsome it just blows any other train watching spot smooth away !!!!

[pmsteamman]

Vickers Ohio (just south of Toledo). CSX and NS over 100 trains a day and I get to see them from my couch (apt looks over tracks) or the cab of the CSX unit I happen to catch on that run from Walbridge to Detroit.

[pmsteamman]

Vickers Ohio (just south of Toledo). CSX and NS over 100 trains a day and I get to see them from my couch (apt looks over tracks) or the cab of the CSX unit I happen to catch on that run from Walbridge to Detroit.

[Anonymous]

Alow me to clairify on my previous post about cajon pass, the SP tank train was the empties going west and most of the units were probably isolated.

[Anonymous]

Alow me to clairify on my previous post about cajon pass, the SP tank train was the empties going west and most of the units were probably isolated.

[Anonymous]

Most of the time I just railfan around my city. But this summer I hope to go to St. Louis and railfan some there. [;)]

And visit the nice big train museum. [;)] [:D]

I heard they have some nice Alcos [;)] [8D] [:D]

I think I will take a pic or to and send them to Kevin. [:D] [;)] [}:)] [:p] [:D]

[Anonymous]

Most of the time I just railfan around my city. But this summer I hope to go to St. Louis and railfan some there. [;)]

And visit the nice big train museum. [;)] [:D]

I heard they have some nice Alcos [;)] [8D] [:D]

I think I will take a pic or to and send them to Kevin. [:D] [;)] [}:)] [:p] [:D]

[fuzzybroken]

Here in Milwaukee, I like:
CP at Waterford Ave. (1/2 mile from my house)
UP/CP Jones Island
CP Menomonee Valley (pretty much the whole valley)
UP Drexel Ave in Oak Creek
UP Mitchell Yard
UP Butler Yard
CP/UP Grain Row

Elsewhere in Wisconsin:
UP at Ives (Caledonia) and Bain (Kenosha) - endpoints for the Vulcan gravel train
CP in Sturtevant
CN/WC at Duplainville
CN/WC West Street in Waukesha
WSOR in Janesville

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken

[fuzzybroken]

Here in Milwaukee, I like:
CP at Waterford Ave. (1/2 mile from my house)
UP/CP Jones Island
CP Menomonee Valley (pretty much the whole valley)
UP Drexel Ave in Oak Creek
UP Mitchell Yard
UP Butler Yard
CP/UP Grain Row

Elsewhere in Wisconsin:
UP at Ives (Caledonia) and Bain (Kenosha) - endpoints for the Vulcan gravel train
CP in Sturtevant
CN/WC at Duplainville
CN/WC West Street in Waukesha
WSOR in Janesville

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken

[espeefoamer]

1.Fullerton Ca.
2.Cajon Pass.
3.Tehachapi Loop.
4.Stocton Tower.(location)Winterail weekend only.
Other places I have wached trains.
5.Vancouver Wash. Amtrak station.
6.Cascade Locks Or.
7.Tacoma Wash.
8.Joliet Ill. Amtrak station.
9.Black Rock Wash.(near Tacoma)
10.Skykomish Wash.
11.Oakridge Or.

[espeefoamer]

1.Fullerton Ca.
2.Cajon Pass.
3.Tehachapi Loop.
4.Stocton Tower.(location)Winterail weekend only.
Other places I have wached trains.
5.Vancouver Wash. Amtrak station.
6.Cascade Locks Or.
7.Tacoma Wash.
8.Joliet Ill. Amtrak station.
9.Black Rock Wash.(near Tacoma)
10.Skykomish Wash.
11.Oakridge Or.

[Anonymous]

anywhere secluded-- local law enforcement and rail police are cracking down on "tresspassers" in the area

[Anonymous]

anywhere secluded-- local law enforcement and rail police are cracking down on "tresspassers" in the area

[Big_Boy_4005]

Gee, all of my favorite places seem to be off limits these days. It is getting harder and harder to be a railfan with all of the paranoia over terrorism.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Gee, all of my favorite places seem to be off limits these days. It is getting harder and harder to be a railfan with all of the paranoia over terrorism.