NS locations comprable to Deshler/Fostoria

[Shorthaul]

I am a very lazy person when it comes to going out and watching trains. I am really more interested in just "being around the railroad," not taking photos and videos. To me, there is no better place to do that than Deshler, because you can stay at one location the entire time, and read a book, etc, while watching trains. Fostoria is the same way, because you can sit at the depot and bring a lawn chair. I camped in Deshler this time last year, and I am looking to do the same type of thing. The problem is, all of my train watching in Ohio has been CSX-based, and I am growing a little bit tired of it. Are there any places along the NS Chicago line where one can just "chill" outside, watch trains, and not be bothered? There is nothing I hate more than standing alone by the tracks and being stared at by everybody who drives, walks, runs, or bikes by, and being asked what you are doing by every police officer and local. Anywhere with a secluded trackside location is awesome, really, although a campground nearby would be optimal.

[bdconrail29]

Attica Junction NOT on the Chicago Line is perhaps the most secluded and no one will bother you there. On the Chicago Line, ah, that's tricky. I'm trying to think of a place that matches all of your criteria. If you are able to travel east of Sandusky, at Vermilion you can sit in your lawn chair at the restored NYC depot (owned by the school) and no one again, bothers you there. You won't miss much down on the NKP, as most traffic now diverges at the GC connection west of town to join the Chicago Line.

West of Toledo any of those small towns are okay, although I'm not an expert out in that territory. Plus, west of Toledo general produces a little less traffic than east. Others will surely have other suggestions as well.

[MSchwiebert]

Swanton & Wauseon both have community parks abutting the NS (former Conrail) main. Further west, I believe that it's still tolerated to be at the Waterloo IN Amtrak "station" area - which also gives the bonus of the CP traffic. East of Toledo, I've spent afternoons in Milbury within the last 6-8 months without issue, and Oak Harbor should still be OK.

[rwas]

Wauseon at the depot is a city park with tables and an area large enough that you wouldn't be hasseled by others. It is near downtown and amenities are 30 seconds to within 5 minutes away. Was just there today and one other railfan friend of mine was there and otherwise was deserted. I have been there many times when I'm the only one there.
Swanton has a trackside park also that would offer similar amenities.

[Shorthaul]

http://thecourier.typepad.com/alongther ... -spot.html
Has anybody been to /heard of this? I'm assuming this is the CHI line.

Edit: The writer of this may be a member of this board, since he ends each piece with "dlm." I think we have a "dlm" on here as well.

[sd70accsxt700]

Sandusky Bay. Its ok but I would chose the other two over that. You are a quarter mile at best from the tracks way out there.

[cbehr91]

If we're talking about NS-only locations then I would say any one of the number small towns on the Chicago Line or even down on the Cleveland Line like Sebring or Alliance, however if CSX is allowed too, then Berea has the best of both worlds.

I don't think (or at least it doesn't seem like) traffic drops off on the Chicago Line west of Toledo. I could be wrong though, there's still a ton of trains regardless.

[slwapprslw]

If you looking for a place along the Chicago line, try Oak Harbor. It's a neat place to watch trains.

[bdconrail29]

I've been to Wauseon and Swanton, and there's no place to use the restroom. At the 4 locations I go to, there are plenty of secluded weeds, but out there, it's just not convenient at all. That is a big factor when choosing a location, and I hate to have to keep going to a gas station or something like that. So that is generally why west of Toledo is a big turn off for me.

Oak Harbor is okay, if you can tolerate the red necks starting at you as they blast by at 50mph in a 25.

Matt good point, Sandusky Bay is awesome. However, if you're between Vermilion and Oak Harbor, you do lose a lot of traffic. For instance, I had 45 at Vermilion one day in 14 hours. Only 28 would have gone west of Sandusky, a loss of 17. But I agree, great location. I think lakeshoredave may have done an all-nighter at CP 248, which if you look up the logs from all-nighters, there is not much connection traffic to lose. I'd do an all-nighter out there for sure.

[slwapprslw]

There's also my town to visit. Here in Archbold, there is a parking lot located off of Defiance St (north side of the tracks) across from Circle-K to watch trains. The parking lot is owned by the village and it has great lighting for night time viewing. The local police never seem to bother me there and no one seems to care either about railfans.

[MagnumForce]

How has no one mentioned Butler? No hassle parking at the library and no problem using the restroom in the library. Free WiFi too.

[Chris7092]

My personal favorites:

Wauseon: Can sit at the station all day long, nice pleasant environment, and Wauseon has places to eat and use the restroom within close proximity to the tracks.

Bryan: Amtrak station is a good spot to just sit and hang out. Also, places to eat and use the restroom

Waterloo: Amtrak station is a great place to hang out. There is one 24-hour gas station in town but not really much in the way of eateries.

If I had to pick a place out of the three mentioned above to "camp out", I would say Wauseon. Plenty of room there and you'll be nice and out of the way.

Hope this helps,

Chris

[~Z~]

I second MagnumForce's mention of Butler.. NS Chicago line + the Wabash... you might be able to sit behind the old bowling alley(the ones that had such an issue with the connector being built and now out of business) or just park here: http://tinyurl.com/24fwajk

Butler gets the CP overhead traffic as well, so that's a major plus for me over places like Swanton.

[PAT.C]

BUTLER IS A GOOD LOCATION ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBINED WITH WATERLOO AND EDGERTON.
I ENJOY PACING THE TRAINS ON US6 AND THERE ARE MANY PHOTO SPOTS ALONG THE HIGHWAY.

WE'VE HAD AT LEAST 2 MEETS THERE AND A COUPLE SMALLER GATHERINGS .GOOD RESTAURANT JUST N OF THE TRACKS AND THE LAUNDRAMAT [BATHROOM] IS OPEN ALL NITE.

I ALWAYS TALK TO THE LOCAL POLICE WHEN I PLAN TO STAY FOR A WHILE.
SAY HELLO, TELL THEM U R A TRAIN NUT AND U WILL HAVE NO PROBLEMS.

-------WATCH THE SPEED LIMITS FROM WATERLOO TO EDGERTON ----THE POLICE R WATCHING THE DRIVERS. AND WRITING A LOT OF TICKETS.

[canpac08]

As far as the Chicago Line goes I would say there are many locations that might have what your looking for. As said above Waterloo and Butler are not bad. I myself think that La Porte, Chesterton, Elkhart and South bend are not bad South bend also has the CN traffic as a plus. Kendallville has a nice park with camping accommodations at Bixler Lake. its also about half way between Elkhart and Butler so it could make a nice place to be a base camp if you wanted to change up variety of places. I myself enjoy the Deport in Elkhart, Arnold street in South Bend, and main street in Kendallville there is a small dirt lot right on the tracks where locals come to watch trains.

[Shorthaul]

Thanks for all of the locations. Looks like NSSD70M-2 and I will be heading down to Swanton tomorrow for a day trip. Swanton looks good from the air, and it's close enough to Toledo that we could also check out some other locations without driving too far.

[MagnumForce]

Honestly I can't think of a town between Swanton and Kendallville that isn't railfan friendly and doesn't have parking right next to the track.

[Shorthaul]

Swanton was good, probably worth going back. Great view of approaching trains, and no real problems with people, other than the tattoo covered drug addict who said his Uncle or something made $600,000/yr working for the railroad, mostly because the uncle was gone for months at a time. But overall a good location.

[Y@]

Swanton was good, probably worth going back. Great view of approaching trains, and no real problems with people, other than the tattoo covered drug addict who said his Uncle or something made $600,000/yr working for the railroad, mostly because the uncle was gone for months at a time. But overall a good location.

Dude, I think we've met the same guy. I was up there a year or so ago and a tattoo covered dude who smelled a lot like pee and looked like he was on meth was talking to me about how is Uncle was a "rail guy on some railroad called SCX."

[Shorthaul]

Was he a "bigger" guy? I had some footage of him walking away, but my darn video camera f'ed me today. Most shots were cloudy and too close anyway. But yeah, I'm guessing meth.