| The hobby of railroading has many exciting avenues | | | | crossings of the Susquehanna River, the areas |
| of pursuit. Train watching is perhaps the least | | | | around Philadelphia, and the Northern New Jersey |
| expensive of all aspects of railroading. Depending on | | | | areas north of Trenton. |
| what you see, it can be a lot of fun or the most | | | | A word of extra caution: Trains in the Northeast |
| boring and unrewarding sport you ever tried. Here | | | | Corridor travel at speeds in excess of 120 miles per |
| are a lot of words that will make train watching | | | | hour and since the entire line is electrified, you do not |
| interesting. | | | | even hear trains approaching. Exercise utmost caution |
| First off, you have to know where to look to find | | | | if you visit this train watching area. The blast of air |
| where the trains are..and where they are not. If you | | | | coming from the slipstream of a high speed |
| find a stretch of track where there is only one set | | | | passenger train can knock you over. |
| of rusting rails, the chances are great that you have | | | | Also remember that the Northeast Corridor is a very |
| come upon an abandoned or seldom used line. On the | | | | strategic piece of real estate. Even if you plan to |
| other hand, if you see a multiple track rail line with | | | | photograph trains from a railroad overpass, it is a |
| shiny rails, you will see trains appear frequently. | | | | very good idea to check in with local law |
| If you are fortunate enough to have a railroad | | | | enforcement or Amtrak security to let them know |
| underpass located over a busy rail line, you are in | | | | who you are and what you are doing. Failure to do |
| train watcher heaven. Here, you might see all sorts | | | | this could result in your arrest and detention as part |
| of yard activity as well as main line freight and | | | | of the Homeland Security initiative. |
| possibly a few Amtrak passenger runs thrown in for | | | | 5. Point of Rocks MD |
| good measure. If you live in an area where one or | | | | The Point of Rocks Brunswick MD Harpers Ferry WV |
| more of the four principal railways are located, you | | | | area is a very scenic place to watch and photograph |
| will most certainly find what we call a railroad hot | | | | trains. Over 60 trains a day go through there. Point |
| spot. Check your local street map or better still, the | | | | of Rocks is where many trains leave the southern |
| USGS maps for your area. Also, it would be a good | | | | branch of CSX and proceed northward directly to |
| investment to buy a railroad radio frequency scanner | | | | Baltimore, bypassing the Washington DC area. |
| and look up the radio frequencies where railroad | | | | 6. Gaithersburg MD |
| transmissions are found. Scanners can be had for | | | | There are several good train watching spots in the |
| between $100 - $300 but they will let you know | | | | ex-B&O southern branch that passes through the |
| when you can expect to see a train appear. | | | | Washington DC metro area and then swings north to |
| If a railroad underpass overlooks a railway yard, you | | | | rejoin the line at Baltimore. Gaithersburg is a good |
| are one league above and beyond train watcher | | | | location because the trains are at grade level and |
| heaven. In addition to main line activity, you will also | | | | train watching does not interfere with the Metro Red |
| see yard and switching moves. A railroad underpass is | | | | Line that begins at Shady Grove Station. Here, you |
| a very safe place from which to watch the trains, | | | | can see CSX main line freights, MARC commuter |
| since it may be on a public thoroughfare and will | | | | passenger trains, and Amtrak Capitol Limited. |
| always be removed from railroad property. However, | | | | 7. East Main Street Overpass, Rochester NY |
| in finding a railroad underpass, you must observe | | | | You would not think Rochester NY would be a good |
| highway safety at all times. Do not park or stop your | | | | train watching spot, but it is. Here at the East Main |
| car anywhere on the roadway that passes over the | | | | Street Overpass, you can look directly into the |
| tracks. Parking or stopping your car on a highway can | | | | Goodman Street Yards, and see mainline CSX freight |
| cause a bad accident. | | | | as well as switching moves and branch line operation. |
| If you find a pedestrian walkway that overlooks the | | | | At one time, this was the fabled New York Central |
| tracks, act responsibly. Never throw any object you | | | | Water Level Route. It subsequently became the |
| might find down onto the tracks or onto a passing | | | | Penn Central after the NYC merged with the |
| train. Avoid standing in a roadway that does not | | | | Pennsylvania Railroad, and it ultimately became Conrail. |
| have a sidewalk or at the very least, a pathway that | | | | When Conrail fell part, it became the NYC portion of |
| adjoins the roadway. A little bit of common sense will | | | | CSX. |
| go a long way in your getting spectacular train views | | | | 8. Fairport NY |
| from up above. | | | | Fairport is located about 15 miles east of Rochester. |
| There may not be any railroad underpasses in your | | | | Here, the old New York Central West Shore line |
| city from which you can watch trains safely. Your | | | | comes in contact with the ex-New York Central main |
| next best bet is to find a local grade crossing where | | | | line. A number of freights go around Rochester on |
| the railroad right of way crosses a public road. Your | | | | the West Shore, thereby bypassing congestion at |
| first and foremost word of advice is stay off the | | | | Goodman Street Yards. Result: Fairport is an excellent |
| tracks at all times! You must do your train watching | | | | place to watch trains |
| from a public right of way and must never venture | | | | 9. Hammond IN |
| onto the railroad right of way. | | | | Hammond, Indiana is a very active piece of railroading |
| If you like to photograph trains, you will need a | | | | operation. Rail lines belonging to CSX and NS run |
| telephoto lens to get that up close feeling when | | | | through here, and there is scarcely a moment of |
| trains go by. You can obtain some great rail photos if | | | | quiet where you do not hear the sound of train |
| you still keep your distance away from the railroad | | | | horns as they signal their approach over the many |
| right of way. Some railway security officials have | | | | grade crossings in the area. |
| indicated that your safe zone is fifteen feet from the | | | | 10. Avon Yard, Indianapolis IN |
| nearest rail. | | | | Avon Yard is located just west of Indianapolis. It is a |
| One last word of advice. If you find yourself trapped | | | | former New York Central yard serving the line |
| away from your car by a train that has stopped in | | | | between Cleveland and St. Louis. The area west of |
| the middle of a grade crossing, Never try to get | | | | the yards is a good spot to watch the trains up |
| back to your car by climbing over or under the | | | | close, since two public roads dead end at the tracks. |
| couplers between cars or else trying to climb over a | | | | There is a service road which goes into the yards |
| railway car using its ladders. You could be killed or | | | | which is not accessible unless you are a CSX |
| seriously injured. Not only could you end up in the | | | | employee or you have permission from CSX to enter |
| hospital, but the police will arrest you for trespassing. | | | | the area. |
| Here are a few of the railroad hot spots you might | | | | Webcam Sites |
| wish to consider in your quest for ideal train watching | | | | You can do a lot of train watching without even |
| locations. Many more are listed in railfan publications | | | | leaving your home. A number of operators have set |
| 1. Horseshoe Curve, Altoona, PA. | | | | up webcams that overlook railroad hot spots. All you |
| This is the first and foremost train watching spot in | | | | need is a broadband internet connection and a |
| the USA, with the exception of the Tehachapi Loop | | | | computer which has a fast internal processing speed. |
| in California or the crossover of two main lines in | | | | You must also understand the pros and cons of |
| Rochelle, Illinois. The Pennsylvania Railroad first | | | | trainwatching through webcams. The pros are |
| opened the Horseshoe Curve as a park. It has | | | | obvious. You can see trains anywhere you are linked |
| remained a railroad attraction ever since. The Penn | | | | to a webcam as soon as the train passes by. Come |
| Central subsequently maintained it. The Horseshoe | | | | rain or shine, the trains run and you see them |
| Curve has since passed over to Conrail and now | | | | without getting wet or getting chased away by |
| belongs to the Norfolk Southern. | | | | railroad security. |
| 2. Rochelle, IL | | | | The cons are also significant. Some webcams do not |
| Rochelle, Illinois is where the Union Pacific (UP) and | | | | focus in too well on the railroad scene, resulting in |
| Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) main lines cross. | | | | some blurred scenes. Sometimes, unwanted objects |
| Over 100 trains a day pass through this area. The | | | | are photographed along with the trains. You can get |
| City of Rochelle has built an observation gallery | | | | a listing of webcam sites from Google or other |
| strictly for train watchers, and this has drawn | | | | search engines. |
| international interest as a place where US railroading | | | | The Rochelle IL webcam is one of the very best to |
| passes by. TRAINS Magazine has installed a webcam | | | | be found anywhere on the internet. Here, you see |
| that operates round the clock. | | | | the railroad crossover between the BNSF and the UP |
| 3. Cresson PA | | | | main lines. Over 100 trains per day go through here |
| Cresson is located on the Norfolk Southern main line | | | | and the webcam quality is very good. You can see |
| that runs from Pittsburgh over the Alleghenies to | | | | the detailing of each of the locomotive types that go |
| Harrisburg and Philadelphia. There are a number of | | | | through here as well as the type and characteristic of |
| bed and breakfast hotels located in Cresson, where | | | | the trains themselves |
| you can watch the NS action all day and all night. | | | | In Conclusion |
| 4. Northeast Corridor Amtrak | | | | So, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Watching |
| Any place from Lanham, MD to Northern New Jersey | | | | big trains can be fun. It comes in all sizes and shapes. |
| is fair game to watch Amtrak Northeast Corridor | | | | In subsequent articles, we will show you the various |
| trains in operation. All of the activity is passenger | | | | rail museums and railfan groups that are out there |
| trains, except for way late at night when the | | | | and will direct you how to get into these groups and |
| passenger train traffic subsides for the day. Then, | | | | enjoy them. Remember also that railfanning can be a |
| you may be privileged to watch one or two NS | | | | single sport which you can do yourself, but is loads |
| freights sneak out onto the Corridor to cross over to | | | | more fun when you can do it by belonging to a |
| the coal docks area north of Baltimore. | | | | group. You can even start or participate in an on line |
| The Northeast Corridor is a steady repetition of | | | | conference room, where rail enthusiasts around the |
| passenger train operation and you run the risk of | | | | world can gather to share ideas and show off their |
| watching repetitive scenes. The scenic areas are the | | | | photographic work. |