Kansas City Railfanning...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N77NaxlGlU

Haha.  I dont think we will be in Kansas much.  I am thinking Marceline?

I do a lot of railfanning in Kansas City. IMO it is one of the best places to do so. Over 500 trains per day. The best spot, IMO, is the Santa Fe Interlocking. There are public places to set up right in the middle of the action. I once saw 5 trains in motion at the same time. Not to be missed. The "Bottoms" is also a great place. DO NOT MISS the bridge at Union Station. There are too many BNSF trains to count.

scrappy

Where can one park at Santa Fe Junction?  Looks like RR property or business that prob are not train watcher friendly.  Is it safe?

Mike,

Drive by the Kemper arena going towards the triple flyover and you will cross the tracks on public road access. There is a drywall company right near the interlocking where folks set up. Technically, it is the parking lot of the drywall company but I set up there all the time and no one has ever bothered me. You are well away from the tracks but in direct view of the action.

For the Union Station access where trains roll at high speed, use the bridge overpass from the station and you can park in the parking lot across the street and shoot from there. Good BBQ right on that road.

The "Bottoms" is also a high action spot where you will get lots of NS action.

Make sure your camera batteries are fully charged and bring a cooler with drinks.

Thanks!!   Any tips for good spots out of town...where one can see 70MPH z trains blasting by?   And your post prompted my second quest....good hole in the wall BBQ suggestions?

Joe's Kansas City BBQ

3002 W 47th St, Kansas City, KS 66103

that does look good.  I am hoping to get some "burnt ends."  Around here, SC, we have some good BBQ but the majority of places tend to make it all as sweet (sugary sauce) as possible so the people line up.

Scrapiron Scher is right about the bottoms, a veritable treasure chest of trains.   For many, many trains at full speed:

• On the Missouri side, Congo or Hardin (which is a kind of quaint river town and is on the 3-track main with NS and you can see Amtrak No.3 in the morning).  Carrollton is just a little farther, and has convenience store food.
• On the Kansas side, anywhere west of Olathe.  Ottawa has an overhead street bridge.  Amtrak takes the old First District via Topeka which has light traffic, and is also fairly early in the morning west of KC.  (You have to give up something. )

I live where you have to drive quite a few miles to get somewhere, so, while they are short to me, these distances might seem a little far for you, but I recall them being within a 1-hour drive.  If you want to see the racetrack you have to get an hour or so out, as trains tend to catch up to each other as they get near Kansas City, where trains are changing crews and some are yarded.

Thanks Elliot.

Thanks all.  At the Bottoms area...I assume the place to park is nearest the junction where the roads end and its fairly out of the way???

My recollection of KC was riding from Chicago to LA and the cafe car ran out of beer before KC.  Horrors! 

There was a layover due to sticking brakes or something and some kids wanted to get off and pick up refreshments at a nearby convenience store.  My wife gave me a stern "you are not getting off this train" look so I handed one of the guys a ten and said good luck.  They made it back in plenty of time, thank goodness. Should have given him a twenty.

Mike-there are several places in the bottoms. My favorite place is under the overpass where you see the BNSF tracks to the right and there are three or four mainline tracks to the left. NS trains will pass twenty feet in front of you.

Stay BEHIND the guardrail.

Scrappy

Mike W. posted:

Plan to do some railfanning in KC during the LCCA convention.  Which small town near KC is the best, most convenient place to watch fast BNSF trains at full speed on the transcon?  Places where one can legally park and watch without being in anyone's way.

Mike : Hope to see you in KC at the convention. I'll be loading buses everyday..Bob V.

I am looking forward to it!! 

Does anyone have a rough map that shows which lines are which coming in and out of KC?  I can make out the BNSF transcon but all others I have no clue.   Also, Scanner frequencies?   Thanks!

Some info on KC area rail tracks is on the way to the email address in your profile.

Trains magazine had a RR map of KC in the past year. My wife and daughter just flew to KC today to visit her sister. I'm planning on going next year for a full week of rail fanning.

rtr12 posted:

Some info on KC area rail tracks is on the way to the email address in your profile.

Thanks I will let you know once received.    

I wonder how much of a tour of argentine the LCCA trip will involve?

Trains Magazine March 2015 Map of the month: Going to Kansas City

During our visit, we tried many spots for rail-fanning.  It seems we managed to always rail-fan during traffic lulls.  But we saw some cool stuff.  The un-used bridge on the southwest side of Santa Fe Junction provided an outstanding vantage point.  It was also a safe and relaxing spot...out of everyone's way.  I was impressed by how safe we felt at all spots in and around Santa Fe Junction and Union Station.  Saw some nice coal trains...I was concerned that we would die form all that dangerous coal dust that prompted Oakland to try and band rail movements of coal  Of course in reality...perfectly safe.  Safer than any short trip in ones own car.