What are your all-time favorite railfanning locations?

friscobob Nov 28, 2012

  1. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    The December 2012 issue of TRAINS has a nice little article from Alex Mayes about his top 10 favorite railfanning sites. Sounds like a nice idea for a thread here, dontcha think?

    Please, list one or several of your favorite places, and describe the amount of RR action, scenery, whatever that makes it a favorite.

    And if this has been covered before..........well, we're covering it again.:wink:
     
  2. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    Here's a few of mine:
    • Saginaw, Texas- interlocker with lines of former Santa Fe, FW&D and CRIP (now, BNSF, BNSF and UP) crossing over each other. Quite a bit of freight, plus Amtrak's Heartland Flyer. Railfan-friendly location, lots of places to grab food & beverages across the street.
    • BNSF-s former Santa Fe Transcon- western New Mexico, red rock cliffs, arid scenery, double track, fast-moving stack trains, Southwest Chief, 80+ trains a day. Places to eat in Grants, THroeau, Divide (on the Continental Divide) and Gallup.
    • Cherokee Yard, Tulsa, OK- north end of former Frisco yard, nice little parking spot where BNSF police won't bother you, lots of action with freights moving on Avard, Creek and Cherokee Subs. Occasional SKOL action. All freight, but lots of it, plus the Avard Sub is getting CTC installed to speed up this line, which sees a lot of traffic.


    I have a bunch more, but I'm much more interested in YOUR favorite locations. So, don't be shy- tell us! And pictures don't hurt, either.......
     
  3. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Anywhere on the D&RGW (now UP) Moffat Tunnel route.
    Tunnel 27, from across the valley--it may not be busy, but I will take Quality any day over Quantity!

    [​IMG]

    Anywhere in South Draw--for the same reason as above:

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    Cheyenne, WY. Busy all the time. Did I mention busy?
    Depot:

    [​IMG]

    MP 511, just at the west edge of town:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 30, 2012
  4. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Marias Pass! Quantity and quality, if you know where to go.

    Starting at Cut Bank, MT:

    [​IMG]

    Two Medicine (East Glacier area):

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    Bison, MT:

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    The twin snowsheds area, Sheds 4 and 5:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 28, 2012
  5. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Java East, MT:

    [​IMG]

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    Tunnel 3.7:

    [​IMG]

    Bad Rock Tunnel (east of Columbia Falls, MT):

    [​IMG]
     
  6. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Summit, MT:

    [​IMG]

    Sheep Creek (A.K.A Goat Lick, MT):

    [​IMG]

    East Glacier:

    [​IMG]

    Essex, MT:

    [​IMG]
     
  7. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Blossburg, MT:

    [​IMG]

    Skyline, MT:

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    Austin, MT:

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    Tobin, MT:

    [​IMG]
     
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Buford, WY:

    [​IMG]

    Dale Jct, WY:

    [​IMG]

    Perkins, WY:

    [​IMG]

    Hermosa Tunnel, WY:

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Ike the BN Freak

    Ike the BN Freak TrainBoard Member

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    Currently, Napa St Jct in Spokane WA, its less than a mile from my house, and can park, keep the car running to get heat and wait for trains.

    As a youngin' Edgemont SD, just remember going there on Saturdays when I was younger. Or maybe Horseshoe Curve...before the parks system took it over and turned it into a tourist trap that they charge you for everything there.
     
  10. Jim Wiggin

    Jim Wiggin Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well Lets see, in no particular order...

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    Yost Illinois, the old Santa Fe going into Galesburg.

    [​IMG]
    Downtown Galesburg at the station. Amtrak and all kinds of freight traffic all day. Used to be a great place to eat across the street called the Packing House. Some big city big wig bought the place and turned it into a high society steak house. Cheapest plate in the house is $25.00. Not railfan friendly. Fortunately there are a few other "local" favorites nearby.

    [​IMG]
    Da Bridge in Galesburg, Thirwell bridge, AKA the "Alter". Plenty of action here, however, since 911 the bridge is only open to foamers durring Galesburg RR Days. Kastle Kreme corner ice cream and hamburger stand is close by. Family owned, good food, good prices and very railfan friendly!

    [​IMG]
    Peck Park in Galesburg. Nice place to catch traffic up top on the old CB&Q and down below on the Santa Fe. Bring a grill and cook out or get something at a fast food place nearby. This place is packed during Galesburg Railroad Days.
     
  11. Jim Wiggin

    Jim Wiggin Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    [​IMG]
    Cameron Il, just west of Galesburg. Old Q on the bottom and old Santa Fe on the top. I have been able to get four trains here. No food close by, the road is busy but room to park and no one has ever bothered me here.

    [​IMG]
    The Chillicothe Sub in and around Chillicothe Illinois. Plenty of places to eat.

    [​IMG]
    Anywhere on the old C&I, west of Rochelle to Savannah Illinois. Oregon Illinois has plenty of places to eat. Many secluded places to snap pictures if your willing to hike a bit. Not your typical flat Illinois landscape, plenty of items left over from the CB&Q era and a hobby shop / train club in Chatsworth. Next to Galesburg area, probably my favorite line to fan.

    [​IMG]
    Claremont Junction in New Hampshire. Former B&M now Pan Am. Amtrak daily service, mixed freight, New England charm and the Claremont and Concord railroad is next door.
     
  12. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

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    I have two of them. One is my own backyard the UP Tucson Staging Yard (Aviation Highway/Alvernon) that is ten minutes drive from my house. Always train action going on there.
    The second is in Amarillo Texas near to the "Big Texan" restaurant there is a Yard there that has trains every twenty minutes 24/7.

    Both are great spots just one is further away than the other.
     
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Past- Cedar Falls, Washington. MILW, setting seemed quite rural, yet ony five minutes off the freeway. Now totally lost.

    Interbay & Balmer Yard (Seattle), Washington. Almost always something ongoing. Something to photograph.

    Marias Pass and Essex, Montana. Hemi has already covered this well. But also go westward toward the Flathead Tunnel. Many sidings and scenes with mostly easy access. Summer greens and colors in late September, into October.
     
  14. Nick Lorusso

    Nick Lorusso TrainBoard Member

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    The old Stockton Tower location, Stockton Ca ATSF & SP action now BNSF & UP the amount of trains depends on the day.
    Niles Junction, Fremont Ca Amtrak, UP & Niles Canyon Railway (Runs on sundays)
    Roseville Ca,
    Riverbank Ca,
    Truckee Ca. Just to name a couple
     
  15. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Tehatchapi, Caliente and Chama.
     
  16. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    Daytons Bluff, St.Paul, MN
     
  17. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

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    Any place where I can video a Steam Engine going by and if it's Narrow Gauge all the better!!!
     
  18. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    The Columbia River Gorge, especially "from the train" shots behind steam.
    [​IMG]

    And Mt. Rainier Scenic, where magic happens with steam.

    [​IMG]

    Hemi, are you on leave? That's a ton of very scenic spots you have posted.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 28, 2012
  19. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    I do have a couple of other places very near here:

    Wagoner, OK, 15 miles north of Muskogee, where the former MKT and MP cross. North of Wagoner, the MP becomes a northbound main, while the MKT is southbound. Southeast of town is the siding at Cookson, and further south is a junction with a connecting track that goes over to the MKT main before it crosses the Verdigris River and McClelland/Kerr navigation system.

    Claremore, 60 or so miles NW. On BNSF's ex-Frisco Cherokee Sub east of Tulsa. Degroat siding is just east of town. UP's ex-MP (northbound) main crosses here as well. Lotsa doublestack action on the BNSF, mostly unit coalies & grainers running empty northbound on the UP.
     
  20. Charlie

    Charlie TrainBoard Member

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    Jim,
    There is/was a Chinese restaurant in Oregon, they used to have an "all you can eat" luncheon buffet.
    It it still there? It was popular with railroaders. I ate there once with a crew,we were working a road switcher that worked the sand plants in/near Oregon.

    Charlie
     

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