About Railfan Sites in Jacksonville, FL

[jhf0551]

I'm going to Jacksonville for a railfanning trip recently. I heard that from a bridge of US-90 ("West Beaver Street" I believe) we can see lots of trains making 90 or 180 degree turns. These trains include CSX, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak, FEC, and sometimes foreign powers like UP and BNSF. Anyone knows this site? Are there any other great spots in downtown Jacksonville? Thanks in advance.

Huafeng

[Noel Weaver]

If you have a car I strongly suggest Folkston rather than Jacksonville. You can make it up to Folkston on US-1 in no more
than an hour from downtown Jacksonville over a good road. No Norfolk Southern and no Florida East Coast but you will not
see much Florida East Coast action at Beaver Street either as FEC trains operate south out of Bowden Yard which is a few
miles south of Beaver Street. A fair number of trains use the Callahan Subdivision which runs between Callahan and Baldwin
and does not go anywhere near Beaver Street.
In addition you will not be hasseled in Folkston, in fact the police officers will wave at you as they pass by. Of course all
places have less trains than a couple of years ago due to a major downturn in business. The area is fully safe too both day
and night and that is a lot more than can be said for Jacksonville.
Folkston is your BEST BET.
Noel Weaver

[jhf0551]

If you have a car I strongly suggest Folkston rather than Jacksonville.
Noel Weaver

Noel:
Thank you so much for your info! But unfortunately I went to Folkston last Saturday. I really want to change the flavor a little bit (not straight CSX). I heard that in Jacksonville there are lots of spots for railfans, though not that safe. Could you recommend me some of these? Is Sunbeam Road a better place than Beaver Street?

Another thing, do you know the CSX train traffic density in Waldo-Ocala branch? I live in Gainesville, so Waldo, Hawthorne, Ocala are much nearer than Folkston or Callahan. I also heard that the train number in this branch may be tripled in 2009. Is this true?

BTW, on Saturday, I caught two Norfolk Southern intermodel trains in Crawford's CSX/NS diamond in less than 30 minutes. They are NS 209 and NS 229. They arrived at 10:23am and 10:50am respectively.

[Noel Weaver]

Sunbeam Road crossing at the south end of Bowden Yard is not a bad spot for train watching and I suspect it is a lot safer
than most locations around Jacksonville. The link I provided below should give you some FEC information.

www.fecrs.com

Noel Weaver

[jhf0551]

Noel:

Thank you so much! It is very helpful! It seems that most FEC trains operate at night. The best trains is 101 which is daily.

[Narr8rdanny]

I know you've probably already been to Jax by the time you read this post, but I thought this video might help. I shot it back in February during the big railfan weekend there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9djPeKGFz0

Danny Harmon
Tampa

[jhf0551]

I know you've probably already been to Jax by the time you read this post, but I thought this video might help. I shot it back in February during the big railfan weekend there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9djPeKGFz0

Danny Harmon
Tampa

Hi Danny:

I'm still seeking somewhere around Jacksonville. I watched this fantastic video before because I subscribed your channel a year ago. It is very impressing! The question is, is Dinsmore a safe and quiet place to watch trains? I have been to Callahan several times, and sometimes I was interrupted by the local police.... Is Beaver Street Overpass on US-90 a good place? The speed limit is 30mph there, but the drivers usually drive over 40mph. I'm also interested in watching FECs in St. Augustine. Could you recommend me some place? Thanks.

[KV1guy]

I'm still seeking somewhere around Jacksonville. I watched this fantastic video before because I subscribed your channel a year ago. It is very impressing! The question is, is Dinsmore a safe and quiet place to watch trains? I have been to Callahan several times, and sometimes I was interrupted by the local police.... Is Beaver Street Overpass on US-90 a good place? The speed limit is 30mph there, but the drivers usually drive over 40mph. I'm also interested in watching FECs in St. Augustine. Could you recommend me some place? Thanks.[/quote]


Dinsmore is ok...I have been approached by local PD there and they had no prob. I would actually drive up the road 1/2 mile, there is a wharehouse with parking. Callahan nice in the moring. After 11am or so it dies off. Beaver St....naw its ghetto there anyways. FEC in St Aug best place would be early afternoon for a couple of southbounds around the old FEC HQ. I can think of better places but difficult to explain.

[jhf0551]

Dinsmore is ok...I have been approached by local PD there and they had no prob. I would actually drive up the road 1/2 mile, there is a wharehouse with parking.

Thanks for that advice. By saying drive up the road 1/2 mile, do you mean NB Old Kings Road?