OK guys (and gals), most of us have favorite railroads, and favorite trackside spots to see trains go by. I know I've got my favorites from years past- what are yours? Is the traffic heavy or light? Is it Class I, shortline, regional, or whatever? Steam, diesel or electric? Whatever it is, share them with the rest of us railfans. Anywhere you watch trains is fair game.... ------------------ Ship IT on the Frisco! Bob T. http://hometown.aol.com/slsf1630/myhomepage/profile.html
This is an easy one. Helper, Utah, home of the last group of D&RGW SD40T-2's AKA Tunnel Motors. For those of you not familiar with the area, it is the former D&RGW main line from Grand Junction, Colorado to Salt Lake City, Utah. Helper for years was a crew change point. Lots of great action. ------------------ Jim Harrawood Utah Rails
Westward HOOO! Steater, IL., Ancona, IL., Illinois River Bridge and Chillicothie, IL., Hollihann's Curve, Edilstein Hill-Edilstein, IL., Galesburg, IL., Cameron, IL., Ft. Madison or Burlington, IA. This is the Heart and Soul of the Storied Santa Fe Super Chief Route and Part of the Grand Ol' Chicago Burlington & Quincy's, California Zephyr stomping grounds ! Heavy BNSF Mainline Action abounds. This is the BEST Railfanning in all of Sacred Central Illinois! A close second is Rochelle, in Northern Illinois. The only draw-back there is the C&NW is nolonger to be found, Only BNSF and the new C&NW landlord, Uncle Pete. ------------------ BNSF RAILFAN-TO-THE-MAX! Brent Tidaback, Member #234 and a N-Scaler to boot!
So many things have changed over the years. Before I was a model railroader I was a railfan and didn't even know it. I had never heard the word back in 1961. I was preteen and my favorite hangout was Union Station, Joliet, Ill. I used to sit right next to the diamonds and wait for Santa Fe or GM&O running side by side,or the Rock Island coming in at 90 degrees of them. I didn't have to wait to see a distant light,all I had to do was keep an eye on those semaphores. Don't get back there much these days since I moved to the southwest. I don't have much time for railfanning anymore either. But I still get a blast being the first to get caught at a rail crossing and seeing those new dash nines in NS colors,or those blue grey SD40s by KCS [This message has been edited by thomas (edited 30 July 2000).]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by thomas: So many things have changed over the years...I was preteen and my favorite hangout was Union Station, Joliet, Ill. I used to sit right next to the diamonds and wait for Santa Fe or GM&O running side by side,or the Rock Island coming in at 90 degrees of them. I didn't have to wait to see a distant light,all I had to do was keep an eye on those semaphores.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yep, Gone are the Santa Fe, Rock Island, GM&O and the semaphores. Not to mention, your teen years. I wish I could get those grand ol' days back too...Buy the time I was old enough to Railfan on my own, Dearborne and the Rock were already gone. ------------------ BNSF RAILFAN-TO-THE-MAX! Brent Tidaback, Member #234 and a N-Scaler to boot! [This message has been edited by Maxwell Plant (edited 29 July 2000).]
I live about 10 miles from New Brighton,Pennsylvania, which is near Pittsburgh. Conrails(now NS but I still call it Conrail anyway) Chicago to NY and the CSX Chicago to Baltimore mainlines cross over there. Each line has roughly 40 to 50 trains running through daily. On busy days there can be 120+ trains between the two. It may not be a Donner pass or a Horseshoe curve but still a good place to railfan and to photograph. Another good place while in the area is the huge Conway double hump yard in Conway PA, which is about 15 miles south from there.
My favorite railfaning area has got to be Salisbury,N.C. Norfolk Southern's mainline runs through here and you can see about four trains an hour. There are many places to park that are away from railroad property that give a good view of the rails. Also I like to go to the area of Thomasville/High Point,N.C.I have gotten many great photos and lots of video. Dan http://gotrains.homestead.com/MYRAILMODEL.html
Welcome to the Boards Vernon! Are you just a Railfan or do you also model? Be sure to check out all the forums and the entire sites features. This is a fun place to hang out, many cool and helpful folks here to guide you through until you get the hang of things. BUT REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN! ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners! The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
Thanks for the welcome!I railfan when I can and did have an HO scale layout until I moved to a new house early this year.I`ll be building a new layout hopefully sometime next year.I`ll be on the HO scale board with a few questions from time to time.
I agree, times have changed and many flags have fallen eliminating many good "hotspots". My favorites still remaining are: Cajon Pass area, Joliet Station, Big 10 Curve, Streator area, Toledo Ohio's CP 285, & Palmer, Mass - to name a few!
HELLO VERNON AND WELCOME TO TRAINBOARD! I HAVE BEEN TO THE STATION IN GREENSBORO TWICE. ONCE TO RAILFAN AND THE OTHER TIME MY FAMILY AND I RODE AMTRAK TO THE STATE FAIR. THAT WAS THE BEST [FIRST TIME ON AMTRAK]TRAIN RIDE EVER. I MAINLY RAILFAN BETWEEN CONCORD, KANNAPOLIS, SALISBURY AND THOMASVILLE/ HIGH POINT. I RARELY GET TO GREENSBORO TO RAILFAN THOUGH. ONLY GO RAILFANNING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. AS LONG AS I GET ALL THE HONEYDOS COMPLETED. TRY SALISBURY STATION ONE TIME. THE CHANCES OF GETTING SOME GREAT PICTURES ARE VERY GOOD. PLUS THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN TOWN TO PARK ALONG THE TRACKS. WELL I'M GLAD MEET YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. DAN http://gotrains.homestead.com/MYRAILMODEL.html
