Hi as a UK based Freight Train Driver, railfan. I was wondering if Freight Yard or locomotive Depot visits are allowed in The USA or Canada. If this is allowed where are the best Yards / Depots to visit. I intend to visit the States / Canada again this year and I would really like to visit a locomotive Depot or Freight Yard. And would it help if I mentioned the fact that I was a fellow locomotive man whilst visiting a depot
Thanks for any help[:)]
You need an in.If you know someone who works there, you can sometimes get in.
Also organised groups can do it. But security has been tightened a bit.
Let us know where you’re going and we might find something.
(I went through Millerhill yard because my uncle knew a senior inspector.)
99.99% of the time on all major Carriers: No.
Thanks very much for the brutally honest answer PBenham[;)] That really puts a damper on my trip to the usa later this year…not to worry as long as the trains are still there[:)]
The Norfolk Southern and CSX yards in Lynchburg, VA often allow railfans to be trackside and take pictures of whatever is going on. As long as you aren’t getting in the way and look innocent enough, they are usually fine with it. I actually have been invited up onto trains by engineers who are waiting in sidings. It all depends on how friendly the engineers are.
There are oftentimes roads that drive right past the yards or at least some of the tracks leading to and away from them, so you can check out the engines without tresspassing. It’s really a case by case basis…Where were you planning to go? It’s pretty much impossible to go wrong with the Chicago area.
Thanks Gluefinger…I am still undecided. I dont know whether to travel from coast to coast in USA ie Chicago to LA or Montreal to Vancouner in Canada. I was in Barstow and Flagstaff last year, but never got time to go down to the freight yard in Barstow, but it looked very busy.[?]
Lots of yards are built as a bowl (in a valley) or can be seen from nearby public properties. If you travel across Canada, make sure to stop by Weston Shop in Winnipeg. Even if you’re not walking on their dirt, you can see almost everywhere on their property from the casino and the water tanks.
As is the case here in Syracuse NY at the CSX yard in East Syracuse / Minoa areas, on east towards Kirkville and west into the city of Syracuse. There’s some good spots on the west side of Syracuse too, such as a mall, the Amtrak station, the NYS Fairgrounds, and other various places in the northern and western suburbs of Syracuse.
If any of you folks come this way, let me know and I can point you in the right directions for those places.
JP