MRL’s 4th SUBDIVISION Montana Rail Link’s 4th Subdivision is the railroad’s main route between Missoula, Mont., and Sandpoint, Idaho. The scenery along this subdivision is gorgeous virtually its entire distance, so it was difficult to pinpoint just one location on this 212-mile stretch. The railroad is alongside the Clark Fork River much of the distance and crosses it 10 times. While BNSF Railway trains constitute much of the traffic on the route, MRL runs its Gas Local, which hauls gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet or aviation fuel between Missoula and Thompson Falls, and the Paradise Local, which works businesses between Thompson Falls and Cedars. The Paradise Local even sports a pair of GP9s!
LOMBARD CANYON Lombard, Mont., is a ghost town located on Montana Rail Link’s 2nd Subdivision between Helena and Bozeman. The town, which once hosted a post office, two railroad stations, a hotel, and a general store, is now nothing more than a lonely spot where Milwaukee Road’s Pacific Extension once crossed the Northern Pacific main line. Much of the old Milwaukee Road bridge still stands. It is one of the most scenic nine miles of railroad I’ve ever visited. The site of Lombard, and the railroad through the canyon can be seen from public, albeit rough, dirt roads off of the main highway in Toston.
BNSF “RACE TRACK” BNSF’s famous “Race Track,” otherwise known as the Chicago Subdivision, is a Windy City must-see. Park yourself at a station anywhere along the triple-track main line and you are bound to see a gaggle of trains. Many will be Metra commuter trains, but BNSF intermodals, freights, oil trains, and coal trains, along with Amtrak, also appear. A few searchlight signals even remain atop Burlington-era signal bridges.
POWDER RIVER BASIN Sometimes high traffic and great scenery overlap, such as in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. I love the wide-openness and the peaceful nature of the plains, but the number of coal trains on the BNSF/Union Pacific joint Orin Subdivision between Bridger Junction and Donkey Creek, Wyo., are what attracts most train-watchers to the area. Getting multiple trains struggling up Logan Hill or over the fills near Bill is common. Photographers have many opportunities for great sunrise and sunset photos due to the north-south orientation of the line.
KANSAS CITY BOTTOMS Variety is the spice in the historic “West Bottoms” of Kansas City, Mo. Trains from the Union Pacific, BNSF, Kansas City Terminal, and other railroads can be seen. Many are transfer moves, which use older power. The proximity of other noted train-watching locations, such as the Argentine Connection Flyover, Kansas City Union Station, and BNSF’s Argentine Yard, make the Bottoms a great place to spend a day.
CRAWFORD HILL For many visitors, access to this spectacular BNSF crossing of Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska is limited to public roads in the lower horseshoe area and the overpass at Belmont. However, check in to a cabin at the Ponderosa Ranch (www.ponderosaranch.net or 308-665-5973), and that changes. Included with the stay is access to the owner’s property, which surrounds the beautiful upper horseshoe area. With some hiking, great photos of the busy BNSF Butte Subdivision can be had easily throughout the day. The eastbound grade over the hill is steep enough for BNSF to maintain a helper base in Crawford. Enjoying a beverage on the deck while listening to loaded coal trains struggle up the grade is priceless.
SANDPOINT, IDAHO BNSF’s busy northern transcon, the Kootenai River Subdivision, and MRL’s 4th Subdivision from Missoula converge in Sandpoint. The greatest attraction in the area is the 1.5-mile, single-track bridge over Lake Pend Oreille. It can be photographed from public land at both ends. Sandpoint’s lesser-known operation is UP’s Spokane Subdivision, which runs between Spokane and the Canadian border at Eastport, Idaho.
VALLEY CITY, N.D. Valley City offers a reprieve from the otherwise flat topography of eastern North Dakota. BNSF’s Jamestown Subdivision, which sees mostly coal and crude oil trains, soars over town and the Sheyenne River valley on an impressive 3,860-foot bridge. While the former Northern Pacific main line has great photographic possibilities, I enjoy relaxing on a picnic table in Chautauqua Park along the river south of the viaduct.
I was in valley City recently on a (primarily) rail oriented vacation trip, and though the traffic was possibly below average I got photos of trains on both lines. On the subject of railroad bridges in North Dakota, the Gasman Coulee bridge on the ex-GN west of Minot is another must-see; I photographed several trains crossing it in just a few hours last Sunday (July 22).
As a long-time Downers Grove residence allow me to encourage all of you to check out some interesting watering holes along the tracks around the Main Street station. There is a Starbuck’s on the north side at Main Street and a Peet’s Coffee & Tea Shop on the south side of the tracks. Plus a very nice cigar shop on the south side across from the station with a smoking area inside.
And check out the DG Public Library on block south of the tracks on Curtis St. The computer area is now located on the north side of the second floor with some wonderful large windows to watch the railroad activity. I am at that location now typing this message. And we do provide guest passes if there are vacant computer stations plus Library WiFi
P.S. My grandfather worked at EMD in LaGrange just few miles from Downers Grove. They had an open house for employees and their families in the fall of ’62 to commemorate the 25,000th locomotive built, which I think was a GP30 for the L&N. They let us go anywhere except the paint shop. Several times during that day they they did a demonstration of dropping a completed locomotive onto the truck assemblies. A mind boggling sight to my then 12 year old self and still remember much of what I saw that day to this day.
I was born and raised in Downers Grove, Ill. which is along the Burlington “racetrack”. I have vague memories of seeing steam engines in the mid-fifties when I was very young, as well as crossing guard towers. As I got older I tried to watch trains as much as possible, which was easy to do as there was a lot of them to see.
Downers Grove is roughly in the middle of a several miles long straight stretch of track, you can see traffic coming from a ways away.
So, nowhere in the South rates for you?
TD, How about the Marsh Station High Bridge on the UP Sunset Route east of Tucson?
Nothing beats the Keddy Y!
As Ken Marx has already mentioned, why not a sample photo from all 10 locations. We know you have them, why not share them for those of us on the east coast and elsewhere, who will never be able to visit them in person.
Going on site would be the best..but we all know that we can’t go everywhere we would like to. But…if you can visit Lombard, MT., be sure you have a sturdy vehicle for the rough road. Lombard was much more accessible when the 2 railroads passed through there. Only MRL now. The town has disappeared, but the rattlesnakes have not. (Shudder..) The Pentrex videos of The Milwaukee RR provides video of the site when it was alive.
So you will order or go buy the magazine…
Rockville Bridge is a testament to the trademark engineering prowess of the late, great Pennsylvania Railroad.
Seen up close, the graceful stone arches reflect the sunlight from the Susquehanna River below. The river is very wide and shallow, but the surrounding mountains make for a very pleasing tableau, indeed. Significant train movements all the time. A most pleasing location.
Rockville Bridge in Pennsylvania is a great spot.
The locations illustrated with photos were particularly interesting. Tom does some beautiful work. It would have been nice to have a sample photo of every recommended location.
I finally had the opportunity to spend an evening rush hour on the CB&Q race track in October 2016, choosing the attractive and well-served La Grange Road. Amazing! Just as impressive was the peaceful coexistence of frequent 65mph commuter trains, quiet zone crossings, and heavy pedestrian traffic. It was rather innerving to watch people of all ages (including kids and teenagers) crossing the tracks as yet another headlight of a fast moving commuter train appeared down the tracks. But when the lights started flashing and the gates came down, everyone obediently waited as the train quietly approached, then passed in a flurry of lights and roaring F40. Florida BrightLine and it’s neighbors could learn from Chicago.
What I like best about the Burlington three-track west of Chicago is that one can simply blend in to the busy suburban pedestrian traffic rather than stand out as a railfan. Access by Metra, safe and attractive suburban communities, great restaurants, and a generous speed limit for freights add to the experience. No matter how many other Chicagoland hotspots I try, I keep returning to the Burlington. By contrast, the Union Pacific seems like a drab show that doesn’t live up to its photographs in TRAINS magazine….. With three routes, the Union Pacific is in the aggregate Metra’s busiest, but the most Metra trains on one single route is the Burlington. If my math is correct, I believe there are four Amtrak train pairs on the Burlington.