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