I would like to get some railfanning in as the weather gets nicer. Does anyone know when the Canadian National trains go through Dale, WI? The track is well maintained and signaled, so I know it is used frequently.
Thanks.
trains run 24 -7 , pick a time , you will see trains.
Right, Dale is on the mainline between Stevens Point and Appleton. Trains run all the time, but traffic is by no means steady. Your best bet is to buy a scanner and listen, or find a good spot to park. More traffic will be found around Neenah, because of trains coming in from the Green Bay direction adding to the total.
i know a few in dale,
thiers a park right on the tracks across from the fireplace store in which is the old dale depot. i forget the parks name but its the perfect spot. i live only 8 miles from dale so i hear on the scanner when they have to pull into anton. on a real windy & quiet day when im sitting outside i can hear the horns.
have fun im gonna go sit their this summer a couple times
I’ve had decent luck at Dale in the morning hrs (8 - 11 AM). I agree w/ those that suggested a scanner. From your location, you should be able to pick up the dispatcher talking to trains. You’ll hear them leaving Neenah headed to Stevens Point and you’ll here them sometimes talking to trains that are going to head into a siding. As noted above Anton siding is just west of Dale and you may here the dispatcher putting a train in there. I have a roof-top antenae that I connect to my hand held scanner and I’ve heard radio chatter for trains at Dale from Hwy 41 in Appleton.
4 nearby places that I like are - Medina Jct, Hwy 45 Bridge, Reedfield and Gills Landing. You might be familiar w/ them all, but here’s my take.
Medina Jct is where the CN crosses the old CNW (Oshkosh to Eland) right of way (now the Wiouwash) trail, about 2-3 miles east of Dale. You can walk the trail to the CN track and its quiet, peaceful and the CN hums across the marsh.
Hwy 45 bridge over the CN - about 4 miles east of Dale - maybe 1/2 way between Dale and Neenah, not a great photo spot since they’re down in a cut, but cool angle from which to watch the train as it works up grade out of the Lake Winnebago Basin. Its all uphill from Neenah to there.
Reedfield - nice shot to be had by the grain elevator and nice gradual curve for an eastbound train in the AM
Gills Landing - from the Public dock you get get a bit of a view of the CN bridge over the Wolf River. For years I’ve wanted to take my canoe up there, paddle out to a good vantage point and get a decent photo of a train on the bridge.
Happy hunting.
Quick response. Thanks.
I look forward to spending some time at the park next to the old depot.
I really like the area of the Wiouwash trail. I’ve gone out there before to try and take pictures but the last time I went there it was starting to get dark so I didn’t stay very long.
The park mentioned above is well-maintained, and even has decent bathroom facilities during the warm weather. Recently the park received a new blacktop path along the tracks which drastically reduced (IMHO) the scenic value of the area, at least regarding rail photography.
Medina Junction has a very old interlocking control structure. All the good stuff has long been removed, but it still is an interesting piece of old railroad operations.
The old structure is really interesting to look at. There is a picture on my website of the structure for those of you who can’t make it over to this location. A link to my website is located in my signature.
Nice photos.
The first time I went out to Medina Jct, my thought was, “Can you imagine if that’s where you worked?” Imagine 3AM, 5th of January, 6 below zero, stoking the stove and trying your best to stay awake. … or 9 PM, 6th of June, still 85 degrees outside, 95 degrees inside the concrete box and mosquitos from the swamp thicker than thick… and here comes the train, so you gotta get out and move the gate and signals.
that is intresting,
i would be scared to go in that thing now beacuse u neevr know whats living in it. or what ever else is in it.
ya this summer ill have to take a look at it.