Whats Your Favorite Spot?

A few of my favorites after living in the east:

1.) Perryville, MD - 100+ Amtrak and MARC trains over 24 hours, with late-night NS movements. Great bridge, and all trains sound their horns before crossing at 90mph.

2.) Riverdale Park, MD - CSX Capital Subdivision. The "I-95 of Train Traffic". All kinds of unit trains run through this spot (which features signals, a wye, and a grade crossing) including the Tropicana Juice Train! 60+ trains a day.


I live in Illinois now though, so that may mean some trips to places like Galesburg, Chicago, and Fostoria. Can't wait!

For drama:

1) The middle of Bealville siding on Tehachapi Pass. Surprised nobody's mentioned this one. You can see eatbounds coming through Caliente several rail miles away, and most times there will be a meet with somebody coming the other way. Walk a few hudred yards either way, and you can get to Tunnel 2 (best access if you're hoofing it) or back to the Bealville grade crossing, with a nice horseshoe curve in between.

2) MP 240 on the Pennsy main, just downhill from Horseshoe curve. Gotta walk into this one, and it might be best to hang out in the woods when no trains are in sight--the Nazi Southern cops are a significant factor here. Gorgeous S curve here for uphill (wb) trains.

3) Gore canyon on the Moffat route. There's a pull off on the Kremmling-State Bridge road where you can look down close to 1000 feet on the river and the RR.

For non stop action:

1) Rahway NJ station platform on the NEC

2) Harrison PATH station, also on the NEC

3) Mineola on the LIRR

4) Roosevelt Road in Chicago, just outside Union Station

5) Beaconsfield, PQ just outside Montreal. CN and CP mains parallel here, with a pedestrian overpass and a Chinese (oops, Chinoise) restaurant nearby. Try the shrimp toast.



(allow me to venture out of the US) Didcot on the Great Western, just west of Reading England. Spent an afternoon there this spring. WOW

For scenic beauty with some trains:

1) San Clemente CA

2) Bison siding, Glacier National Park, on the GN mainline in Montana. Probably the best single mountain backdrop in N American railroading.

3) Sandpoint, Idaho BNSF and MRL traffic, nice lake, nice motel and marina nearby, excellent food, but you have to leave the tracks to eat.

I agree with the other viewer who says that Fostoria is the best, without a doubt the hottest spot east of MIssissippi, I am from southeast, I like Dalton Georiga and Cordele Georgia, Ringo

My favorite spots are CP Potter in NJ, also Manville NJ.

I am also partial to John Paul George and Ringo

ONE OF THE BEST SPOTS THESE DAYS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE OLD BD TOWER. CP,NYS&W,NS,[/i]

In the Detroit area, Wyandotte is a good place, at the old NYC depot. Four parallel mainlines, about 100 feet apart. One CN Detroit to Toledo main. The NS north and south mains, Detroit to Toledo, and the old Detroit, Toledo and Ironton, now known as the River Sub, and owned by the GTW/CN. Coal trains to Detroit Edison, mty and loaded auto racks, intermodel, steel trains, grain trains, and manifest.
A week ago, there were three trains on the crossing at the same time. Frequently there are two on the crossing at once. Numerous yards all feed trains into the NS mains. Several intermodal terminals in the area, along with several auto loading facilities, and several steel plants, generate a lot of traffic.
The CNs mainline from Canada, enters the US at Sarnia, Ontario, heads south through Detroit, and continues south to Toledo and points south. Lots of centerbeam flats, loaded with Canadian lumber, and lots of autos.

Magnolia St. Station, Spartanburg, SC

First and foremost, you have the Southern mainline and the W line. With the Hayne Yard right around the corner, you are guaranteed a lot of quality action.

Running underneath Hayne, you have the Atlantic Coast Line, Piedmont & Northern, and Clinchfield interchange (all CSX now) and between the two of them, you are certain to always have trains at your fingertips. I miss the days when Northbounds taking the W would stop off in Hayne for their mid-train helpers to allow them to go up the Saluda Grade.

My Spot is a diamond, or crossover for BNSF and UP. It sees many trains daily. Here is a picture of it

http://htown.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... ?id=772745

Right on the former ATSF Transcon

I have to agree with trainfreak. Ridgefield Park is a great place for train watching. In the morning you can easily see 5-10 trains in about 3 hours. About noon to 1pm you usually see 1 to 2 trains. In the late afternoon the traffic starts up again. Plus the different leased and old NYSW engines that switches cars in their yard. Csx puts on a nice show with new, old, foreign, and leased power on the head of trains. For the River Line that is awesome. Up the road from the station you can get a great shot of a train rounding the curve. Don't have to worry about tespassing. There is a signal bridge. (good for people that don't have a scanner) Train meets and races are now a common site. There are stores, diners and even an old record shop near the crossing up the road. If you live there or in the NY, NY area like me, Ridgefield Park is a great place for train watching.

The Amtrak depot in Vancouver Wn. has to be one of the best places to railfan. The depot has tracks on three sides of it. There are in addition to Amtrak trains BNSF & U.P. trains. Usually it is very busy as the depot is where the line to Pasco and east splits from the line between Portland & Seattle.
The east portal of the Cascade Tunnel is also an interesting place. Be prepared as it is in a remote location with no ammenities.

I am from Boston so I have a few out east but then some out West
1. Sports Depot, Alston, MA-CSX Boton Line with ES44AC, AC6000CWs, and SD70MACs
2. Herkimer Hotel, Herkimer, NY-CSX Empire Corridor with CSX, CN, and UP
3. Horshoe Curve, Altoona, PA-NS and one of the most famous spots in railroading
4. Gillette, WY-UP/BNSF Joint Line with SD70MACs
5. Medora, ND-BNSF coal with pushers and classic Passenger Warbonnets

These are just a few out of many.

While I enjoy Palmer for the trains, station and the food. I also enjoy going over to West Springfield, just west of the yard. There is an old freight house (now a church) with a grade crossing. The trains can be slow as they come out of the yard, or fast if they were a straight through train. You might also see the Lake Shore Limited if you plan your timing right. Also, there is a hot dog cart setup most days with cheap good dogs, the guy running it is nice too.

You can see some shots here:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... key=tdavis

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... key=tdavis

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... key=tdavis

well, i'll list off some.......
Ayer,MA-usually something going on, and it's 15 minutes from my house.
Worcester,MA-more traffic than Ayer
Anywhere on the NEC-FAST Action at least every hour!
Palmer,MA-i like the diamond
Springfield,MA-If no freights are coming, Amtrak's usually got a set or two hanging around
Selkirk,NY-enough said!
Amsterdam,NY-Advance warning in both directions, bathrooms, benches, scenery.
NS Horseshoe curve region,PA-Anywhere from Altoona to Cassandra.....Been out there twice...loved it both times.

Have never been to Fostoria,OH, but it is on my list to go to sometime....

Moss Run, Va

Loyd L.