Planning a vacation in the Rockies and Yellowstone with a stop in Cheyenne. What sort / volume of trafic am I likley to see at Cheyenne, and any tips on the best places round there to spot trains? Any feedback on the Cheyenne depot museum?
Lots of train action at Cheyenne, UP has a huge yard there it’s right in the middle of town, A great old Depot that the City now owns with a nice gift shop. Their is a bridge just south of the Depot, great for watching the trains. Their is a little dinner, I believe it’s on the same road that the depot is on. I was there on an overcast day and lost my directions, I think it was north of the downtown area near the I 80 exit. It had a railroad theme and good reasonably priced food a lot of RR crews were eating there when I was there. Also if you go to Colorado check out Winter Park for the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel, ask the locals how to get to it there was a lot of construction when I was out there in April 07. If you have time go to the east portal at Rollinsville. I’m going next month and plant to see all three again. Have a great time!
Better hurry as winter comes real early to WY [:)]
[#welcome] to the forum!
If you get out to West Yellowstone, check out the old depot…
Yellowstone Historic Center Museum
In the Union Pacific Railroad Depot
104 Yellowstone Avenue
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Phone: (406) 646-1100 or (406) 646-7461
Web :www.yellowstonehistoriccenter.org
Walk through the historic Union Pacific Depot building and discover the wonders of the world’s first national park. View historical displays, wildlife exhibits, vintage Park transportation. See the raging fires of 1988 and the terrifying earthquake of 1959. Interactive activities for all ages. Walking tours of the Historic District and other programs. Now under new management!
Here are a few suggestions about railfanning in and around Cheyenne …
Both BNSF and UP have lines through town, but the latter has far and away many more trains. The BNSF yard may be viewed from either 24th or 27th Sts., west of Snyder Ave.
ARCHER is located along I-80 about eight miles east of downtown Cheyenne. Take the “Archer” exit off I-80, drive onto the north service road and head about three quarters of a mile west of the Sapp Bros. Truck Stop to Pershing Blvd. Turn north on Pershing and you’ll cross the double track Overland Route mainline on a narrow highway bridge. Just west of that bridge is a nice reverse curve that’s a favorite spot for photo lines.
“TOWER A” is a universal crossover plant located on the west side of town. Its formal name is CPW 511 and there you’ll find some complicated trackwork that affords U.P. trains the capability of switching among any of the four main tracks. Immediately above this crossover plant in a large steel bridge that carries the BNSF mainline. At the west end of this crossover plant is the Southwest Drive road crossing, and on just about any day in the summertime, there are one or more railfans parked there watching trains, snapping still photos, or capturing video of the action.
Continuing west on West Lincolnway west of Tower A, you’ll pass underneath I-25, you’ll drive by the Little America resort, and then slip underneath I-80. Continue west on the old highway, now known as Otto Road, and pass the Dyno-Nobel fertilizer plant. About two or three miles beyond Dyno-Nobel you’ll see a wooden bridge that spans the Union Pacific mainline. That’s another nice vantage point from which to
There is also a restaurant/watering hole in the depot at Cheyenne. Our (my wife and I) advice–go to that place across the street instead! We had inexcusable lousy service there. Slow, wrong orders, insolence. It may have been only one person, but it almost ruined the experience. Thankfully, we were by a window with plenty of opportunity (and time!) to watch crew changes, arrivals, and departures.
“…that place across the street…” is the Albany restaurant. The proprietors Gus and George Kallas really do run a tight ship - and serve good food to boot!
When are you Planning on coming out out here to Wyoming? because Time of year will play a role in where the good spots are. Its only 4 days until the 1st of winter! 
there is an old motel at the west end of the yard called the Hitching Post. it is right across the street and just east of the Colorado and Southern overpass. It is probably showing its age but the view can’t be beat. On the other side of the C&S is a Super 8 and possibly a couple of others. can’t remember. In 1957 my family stayed at the Hitching Post and my brother and I could feel the challengers and big boys piston thrust in the swimming pool as they walked out of the yard one after the other all afternoon long. Great spot for memories for me.
Just some shots taken around various points in Cheyenne:
The first four were taken on the bridge over the yard. The next shot was taken near the crossing just west of where the C&S crosses the UP transcon. The last two were taken where Terry Ranch Rd. crosses the UP Greeley Sub.
I also have some nice shots taken around the Steam Shops. However, those were taken during Frontier Days, and railfans were allowed on the property. I wouldn’t go there on a “regular” day unless you were invited. Might be worth trying to phone/e-mail/whatever to see if you can get permission to go on the property.
No matter what you do, you won’t have to worry about a lack of trains on the transcon, and there are some great spots to watch from. Good luck!
And hard.
If you have not done so… PAY ATTENTION to NOAA weather reports for that state. It might be worth your life.
Now that I have scared you away, I tell you that Wyoming is a great place to be in the spring, summer time.
Wintertime it’s time to get deadly serious about travel; they can and DO close the roads at will your travel plans is never gauranteed. You might say you are going to point B later on this afternoon up there but nature might strand you in a motel (If yer lucky) for 2 days along the way.
By the way Chain season is about October 15 to April 1st. You are probably required to have a set in your vehicle.
This little fella was going WAY too fast and I saw it coming when it passed a double tanker a mile to my rear and got the camera ready. I have been keeping an eye on that double tanker as we both were on split ice at 10 mph with interlock in. The car was doing roughly 60 at least.
http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wyomingwipeout1im5.jpg
Anyhow it overcorrected and went into the 2 foot deep snow off to the right… it would definately need a tow wrecker to get it back onto the interstate. That hard snow being piled onto the windshield probably kept it wheels down and not get flipped side over side throwing the people out.
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wyomingwipeout2co2.jpg
I recall the nearest source of anything was Sheridan, still an hour distant (15 miles or so away)
It was a beautiful day temps down in the teens and that sun was strong enough to liquify the top layer of ice and make it even more slippery if such a thing makes sense.
The pictures were scanned out of a print set from a disposible camera that I kee
I don’t remember ever seeing gates to close off a stretch of Interstate highway before we encountered I-80 in Wyoming and western Nebraska.
As it was, we followed a fairly heavy snow east in early April when we were out there.
I was out there once - Sept 1978 and winter was coming on fast! I believe it was Sept 9th or so and it snowed quite a bit. I remember being in a bar having lunch and my buddy and I were the only two in there that didnt have on a cowboy hat and boots. “you guys arent from around here are you?” The little bargal then went on to tell us that winter would be around the corner. We just looked at her and each other like “huh?” A couple days later 10" of snow. Time to head back to Hoosier land…in a hurry.
Spent a little time in Laramie, what a wonderful town, before heading up to Yellowstone.
ed
Carl:
Arent there gates on I94 in Wisconsin north of the Illinois state line?
ed
Actually, the first of winter is offically 21 DEC. 21 Sept or so is the end of summer/beginning of Autumn…
Not in parts of Wyoming. 'Tis but two seasons there: August and Winter.
Cool! (litteraly, not figuratively…)[:D]
Chris those shots are incredible! Wow…
Hi All,
Just a weather comment, about 6 years ago, mid September, my wife and I were on our way to the Custer Battlefield and Yellowstone Park via Red Lodge, Montana. We were on our way out of the Black Hills and wound up in a small town south of Sheridan, WY. There, we got the first news of a Winter Weather Watch. By morning it was a Warning. We headed west for Cody and the East gate of the park across the Bighorns. We saw the ranchers rounding up their stock by mid morning. Luckily, the snow didn’t start until we were at the park. By the next morning some areas of the park had 18 in. of snow. We made it all the way to West Yellowstone, MT for the night. It was a bit scary crossing the mountains and not knowing how far away the snow was though we had a good guess and a 4X4.
Best,
Rob
Those? They’re on the ramps to keep us flatlanders out of Goodness-knows-what!