I like Folkston GA's viewing platform...but bring the mosquito repellant!!!
OMcG
OMcG
Found a new one Bensville, IL at the Manhamie Metra Station.
John
Railroad Forums
Whats Your Favorite Spot?
- Tell us where you were and what you saw!
Moderator: David Benton
My favorites. although now gone.
Egleston (above Washington St, MBTA Orange Line)
Green Street (Aboveground station, also over Wash St, also demolished)
JFK UMASS (Columbia Station)
Ashmont
Braintree
Cadigan yard (right after Braintree)
01400 work car train (sits at Cabot Shops)
NYCTA:
Coney Island
Kings Hwy (F only)
Broad Channel (A and S)
Rockaway Park
Toronto
McCowan Rd (scarborough RT)
Downsview (Yonge University-Spadina)
Egleston (above Washington St, MBTA Orange Line)
Green Street (Aboveground station, also over Wash St, also demolished)
JFK UMASS (Columbia Station)
Ashmont
Braintree
Cadigan yard (right after Braintree)
01400 work car train (sits at Cabot Shops)
NYCTA:
Coney Island
Kings Hwy (F only)
Broad Channel (A and S)
Rockaway Park
Toronto
McCowan Rd (scarborough RT)
Downsview (Yonge University-Spadina)
Over the past 30+ years of watching trains (age 36) I've accumulated more a few spots that are personal favorites
STILL ACTIVE:
1. Chili Jct- I agree w/previous posts as it's a great way to view the West Shore and the Chicago Line.
2. Genesee Jct.- LA&L keeps that old EL feeling alive plus West Shore and RS action
3. Rt. 17 Overpass at Bath (east side of town)- a great place to view the B&H going to or coming from Painted Post, whether I'm on the bridge or trackside. I do miss seeing the old B&H mainline, though. By the way, it's Rt. 17 to me, not I-86!!!
4. old Route 17 (Rt. 17C) near Waverly, NY- there is an AWESOME view from up on the hillside that looks down into the valley. There used to be a restaurant called O'Briens there. You could watch trains from the dining room while having a great meal. Great memories of EL and later CR running thru there...
5. Steamtown- that's the way to present steam locomotives and excursion trains, especially when seen from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN:
1. the B&H RR waterfront yard in Hammondsport, NY. Back in the '70s there was lcl service, TOFC on 2(!) ramps and a team track- it was a treat to watch an Alco S-1 come in 'cause you never knew what it might bring to switch. Service gradually decayed but there was still some activity in the yard until the early '90s. A portion still exists but it's covered w/ weeds. Does anyone know what happened to those green coaches that were stored there during the late '70s?
2. the B&H original mainline at Taylor/Great Western near H'port. A nice mix of boxcars and tank cars, which (along with the spot listed above) was the epitome of shortline railfanning. Really fun if you liked switching moves and short trains of less than 15 cars. And I could chase it on a bicycle!
3. The LV at Odessa, NY. It ran behind a now defunct store called Cotton Hamlins. It was a treat to see the Alco Centuries (especially Snowbirds) slug their way through the snow circa 1974-'75.
STILL ACTIVE:
1. Chili Jct- I agree w/previous posts as it's a great way to view the West Shore and the Chicago Line.
2. Genesee Jct.- LA&L keeps that old EL feeling alive plus West Shore and RS action
3. Rt. 17 Overpass at Bath (east side of town)- a great place to view the B&H going to or coming from Painted Post, whether I'm on the bridge or trackside. I do miss seeing the old B&H mainline, though. By the way, it's Rt. 17 to me, not I-86!!!
4. old Route 17 (Rt. 17C) near Waverly, NY- there is an AWESOME view from up on the hillside that looks down into the valley. There used to be a restaurant called O'Briens there. You could watch trains from the dining room while having a great meal. Great memories of EL and later CR running thru there...
5. Steamtown- that's the way to present steam locomotives and excursion trains, especially when seen from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN:
1. the B&H RR waterfront yard in Hammondsport, NY. Back in the '70s there was lcl service, TOFC on 2(!) ramps and a team track- it was a treat to watch an Alco S-1 come in 'cause you never knew what it might bring to switch. Service gradually decayed but there was still some activity in the yard until the early '90s. A portion still exists but it's covered w/ weeds. Does anyone know what happened to those green coaches that were stored there during the late '70s?
2. the B&H original mainline at Taylor/Great Western near H'port. A nice mix of boxcars and tank cars, which (along with the spot listed above) was the epitome of shortline railfanning. Really fun if you liked switching moves and short trains of less than 15 cars. And I could chase it on a bicycle!
3. The LV at Odessa, NY. It ran behind a now defunct store called Cotton Hamlins. It was a treat to see the Alco Centuries (especially Snowbirds) slug their way through the snow circa 1974-'75.
Last edited by Matt Langworthy on Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Since I am a NJT buff, here are my favorite places
New Jersey
Princeton Jct-here you have a nice straightaway, and amtrak trains blow through there at 135. Even there are many transit trains. One could also watch the princeton shuttle maneuver through the parking lot with a pretty clear view of the branch from the north end of the lot.
Point Pleasant Beach-both the station area, and manasquan river areas are nice for photos. Even one could get a nice shot of a train just south of the station without stepping on station property, but those photos are sharp in the afternoon.
Dover-great place to view both electric and diesel. The station area is nice, as well as a few sidestreets. The best time to come here is on a weekday because that's when you get a diversity of power. Also, one could come to Dover on weekdays via the Boonton Line in one direction and the Morris&Essex in the other. Remember, the Boonton Line west of MSU has bad service so plan accordingly.
-most places on the NJCL, south of LB have many areas for photography, like Belmar and Bradley Beach.
New Jersey
Princeton Jct-here you have a nice straightaway, and amtrak trains blow through there at 135. Even there are many transit trains. One could also watch the princeton shuttle maneuver through the parking lot with a pretty clear view of the branch from the north end of the lot.
Point Pleasant Beach-both the station area, and manasquan river areas are nice for photos. Even one could get a nice shot of a train just south of the station without stepping on station property, but those photos are sharp in the afternoon.
Dover-great place to view both electric and diesel. The station area is nice, as well as a few sidestreets. The best time to come here is on a weekday because that's when you get a diversity of power. Also, one could come to Dover on weekdays via the Boonton Line in one direction and the Morris&Essex in the other. Remember, the Boonton Line west of MSU has bad service so plan accordingly.
-most places on the NJCL, south of LB have many areas for photography, like Belmar and Bradley Beach.
1>> Willis Ave bridge in Solvay,NY(syracuse) cp293, BVILLE SUB, FGLK
Geddes St lead, de/hb detector
2>> Saintsville Rd east of Dewitt Yd. Pace outbound freight, Amtrak
at speed. 2 signal bridges,and a talker.
3>>> CP263 Oneida,NY east end of control siding (Sand Hill Rd crosses
tracks IN The interlocking plant). Talker.
4>>> Utica Station nyc 6721 O-6-O (nuff said)
5>>> Lock 19 . Tracks cross Barge Canal on old Water Level 4track
Truss bridge. Good place to picnic. Quiet and never a hassle
STEAM ON
/--OOO--~-oo--oo-
Geddes St lead, de/hb detector
2>> Saintsville Rd east of Dewitt Yd. Pace outbound freight, Amtrak
at speed. 2 signal bridges,and a talker.
3>>> CP263 Oneida,NY east end of control siding (Sand Hill Rd crosses
tracks IN The interlocking plant). Talker.
4>>> Utica Station nyc 6721 O-6-O (nuff said)
5>>> Lock 19 . Tracks cross Barge Canal on old Water Level 4track
Truss bridge. Good place to picnic. Quiet and never a hassle
STEAM ON
/--OOO--~-oo--oo-
One way or the other we're gonna fix this railroad.
Oh yeah.... near UMass Lowell's south campus is a pretty good spot too! There's a bridge going over the tracks that gives ya a clear shot of the tracks in both directions. Another great view is from the 4th floor of Coburn Hall (I always hung out there in the winter)! Lastly, the 'big lot' on south!
Palmer MA - CSX, NECR, Amtrak and Mass Central. Nice restaurant in the old station.
Ayer MA - for Guilford, MBTA, CSX SEPO/POSE and auto racks to/from Ford facility and occasional NS powered coal trains to Bow NH.
In PA anywhere along the corridor south of Philly, particularly Ridley Park for SEPTA, Amtrak, with the CSX line to Baltimore only a short distance away.
Ayer MA - for Guilford, MBTA, CSX SEPO/POSE and auto racks to/from Ford facility and occasional NS powered coal trains to Bow NH.
In PA anywhere along the corridor south of Philly, particularly Ridley Park for SEPTA, Amtrak, with the CSX line to Baltimore only a short distance away.
Cheers!Back when I lived in Indiana, I used to have countless favorite spots to go in Chicago: Dolton, Blue Island, Joliet, LaGrange, Bensenville, Franklin Park, Hawthorne, Hayford, Forest Hill, Lemoyne, Brighton Park to name a few.
Now that I live in Kansas City there are some good spot here, but not nearly as good as Chicago: Santa Fe Jct, Gooseneck Crossing, east end UP's Neff Yard, Birmingham, Rock Creek Jct. and a few others I can't think off the top of my head right now.
Now that I live in Kansas City there are some good spot here, but not nearly as good as Chicago: Santa Fe Jct, Gooseneck Crossing, east end UP's Neff Yard, Birmingham, Rock Creek Jct. and a few others I can't think off the top of my head right now.
In Chicago it has to be Downers Grove for BNSF, Metra & Amtrak, especially at evening rush hour, I like the long straightaway, signal bridges to the east, and trains cook through there. Safe and clean too.
In the Northeast it's Linden,NJ not quite as fast as Edison or Princeton but you get the bonus of diesel powered Jersey Shore trains bombing down the corridor to Rahway Jct between the 12-car Arrow sets and Amtrak, signal bridges in both directions, and the occasional freight too.
In the not so fast but hot n busy dept, I'll agree with Semaphore Sam that the junction at Twr55 in Ft Worth is hard to beat. I have burned more film there and up in Saginaw then all the other places combined.
In the Northeast it's Linden,NJ not quite as fast as Edison or Princeton but you get the bonus of diesel powered Jersey Shore trains bombing down the corridor to Rahway Jct between the 12-car Arrow sets and Amtrak, signal bridges in both directions, and the occasional freight too.
In the not so fast but hot n busy dept, I'll agree with Semaphore Sam that the junction at Twr55 in Ft Worth is hard to beat. I have burned more film there and up in Saginaw then all the other places combined.
Palmer MA
Cape Cod RR bridge
Ayer MA
Worchester MA.
Mansfield MA. "NEC"
"Hoosac Tunnel" Orange MA.
Selkirk NY.
Vorheesville NY.
Cumberland MD.
Rocky Mount NC.
Altoona PA
Cape Cod RR bridge
Ayer MA
Worchester MA.
Mansfield MA. "NEC"
"Hoosac Tunnel" Orange MA.
Selkirk NY.
Vorheesville NY.
Cumberland MD.
Rocky Mount NC.
Altoona PA
CSX River Line, CP-5
Iona Island- River Line MP 41
NS Lehigh Line, CP-88
NS Reading Line, Macungie
Cove PA
Marysville PA, the west end of Rockville Bridge
Cassandra PA
Fostoria OH
Rochelle Il
Amsterdam NY
I used to go to Bound Brook a lot untill the cops started throwing peolpe out.
Iona Island- River Line MP 41
NS Lehigh Line, CP-88
NS Reading Line, Macungie
Cove PA
Marysville PA, the west end of Rockville Bridge
Cassandra PA
Fostoria OH
Rochelle Il
Amsterdam NY
I used to go to Bound Brook a lot untill the cops started throwing peolpe out.
I think I posted my favorites in a much earlier post, but I have to add Cuesta to my list. Cuesta is north of San Luis Obispo.