Good Eats

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I hope I’m not running afoul of the forum’s policies but, I’d thought I’d post some of the better places I’ve eaten at that are within close proximity to popular railfan sites. I hope this information could be usefull to railfans looking for places other than the usual fast food suspects.[dinner]

Route 53 Diner, Cresson, PA: This is within walking distance of the railfan park and the station in. it has very good very reasonable fare and a fun campy atmosphere.

Foxes’ Country Deli: Highland Falls, NY: This is a five-mintute ride from Inona Island and the Fort Montgomery Tunnel. It has good coffee and good snadwitches.

Folkstone, GA: Don’t remember the name off the top of my head but there is a little shop on Main Street not far from the railfan park that serves good coffee and ice cream too.

If you have any recomendations post the here!

2

Fontano’s Italian Subs, downtown Elmhurst, Ill. on the UP Overland Route

– OR –

Fontano’s Italian Subs, downtown Hinsdale, Ill. on the BNSF Racetrack. Yum!

3

You know I love the house that I bought in Valparaiso, but man I miss the food in the western burbs…[banghead][banghead] Let me add one more, there is a greasy spoon in that is on the other side of the tracks from the Belmont station on the BNSF. I don’t remember the name of it but they had a great breakfast, with an even better view.

4

2 toots in Downers grove ILL.here locally in nw ohio we have Cravings and KFC is back open now!!! the home diner in holgate ohio is good too!!! You also have the shovel in marion ohio too!!

stay safe

joe

5

ACH N Lous Pizza Pub

1592 North Farnsworth Avenue Aurora, IL

Good place to get something other than McD or Burger King while visiting Eola yard in Aurora, IL (about 1.5 miles north of the yard, or a five minute drive)
6

For those who may be in AZ the Turquoise Room in the completely restored La Posada hotel in Winslow has wonderful food, all three meals - seven days a week.

The La Posada is the former Santa Fe-Fred Harvey hotel and is located adjacent to the BNSF Transcon. Plus Winslow is a crew change point so all trains stop about one mile west from the hotel so you get a great opportunity to see them at slower speeds.

7

Does anyone remember the name of that diner in Hearne, TX? Starlight Diner? I’ll have to look it up later…

8

There are a couple of bars next to the tracks in Valpo.

Franklin House is next to the CFE tracks. The local comes into town a few times a week and switches, usually around 1pm.

Northsides Tap is right next to the CN. In the summer you can sit out on the deck.

ed

9

…dinningcar:

There was a brand new restaurant {La Posada}, right next to the Ramada Inn {believe now a Best Western Motel}, in Kingman, when we were in the area {in years past}, on our project there. Transcon {Sante Fe}, at the time passed behind it. Main traffic thru there was still on rt. 66 as the interstate ended at the Kingman interchange.

10

I am looking foward to explore the eating options in Valpo a little more now that winter is ending.

11

Have no fear, Valpo folks–we’ll get to that town soon enough (couldn’t eat there the day we met up with you, Ed–too full from that place in Monon!). Ed, does the “tap” alongside the CN have good food?

PZ, I’ve not been to Fontano’s in Hinsdale, but will enthusiastically agree with your assessment based on the one in Elmhurst! If you run into Vicki behind the counter, tell her I sent you!

Also in Hinsdale: Cosi. Sandwiches more expensive than Fontano’s, but you can’t beat the location–in the station.

The Glen Oak Restaurant in Glen Ellyn and The Grove in Lombard are both family restaurants (each run by a Greek family, I presume) with a wide variety of items on the menu at a reasonable price. It is possible to get a view of the UP (ex-CNW) main line in either place, though a street or more intervenes.

Pizza: Two Brothers from Italy, in Elmhurst. Open only in the evenings, and not on Monday. Across the street (and parking lot) from the tracks and the station.

Barbecue: The Texan, in Lombard. Ribs are consistently tender. Fairly close to the tracks, but only one booth in the place has a fair view of the action.

Hot sandwiches and pizza: Brix, in Lombard. Gets rave reviews in the local-action magazines. If you sit up against the east wall, you can see the tracks, a block away.

When we’re in LaGrange, we eat at either Chipotle or Noodles & Co. Both across the street from the tracks, with little intervening clutter.

Local flavor: Sam’s, in Cortland, Illinois, east of DeKalb. Typical small-restaurant menu, decent prices, and a passable view of the tracks.

Best view from a restaurant in Rochelle: Culver’s–east of town, west of I-39, south of 38. Tracks are still a ways off, over the fields.

Any restauranteurs in here? Wouldn’t mind seeing some good venues in LaFox, Elburn, or Roc

12

If you are ever out on US 30 west of North Platte, NE, you won’t go wrong at Ole’s Big Game Steak House and Lounge. The worst part of eating there is the decision to walk in, or stay outside to watch the action on the UP!

SPIKE

13

Two good places along the CP line here in Milwaukee:

The Chancery, Wauwatosa

7615 West State Street

Ask for seating with a view of the tracks. The menu is good and not too expensive, great place to go after a day of railfanning.

The Milwaukee Ale House

233 North Water Street

In the summer there is a full padio along the Milwaukee River with full view of the CP’s bridge and leadup to the Amtrak station. It’s a great place, especially if you’re a fan of both ships and trains. Lots of barge and boat traffic on the river and very heavy traffic on the CP line. Also the Restaurant has it’s own microbrewery on site and makes some amazing beers. Try the Louie’s Demise, it’s so good it’s also served at several other bars in Milwaukee including the campus bar at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, so it’s a Brew City specialty.

Cheers!

~METRO

14

Austell, Georgia., US Highway 78, Burger King, and a Martins ., both good views., aint gonna say nothing[dinner] about the food.[dinner]

15

Modelcar:

I am not familiar with the site you describe, things may have changed in the (few) years!!

However, there is a very good Mexican restaurant on Andy Devine (old Route 66) just across from the former Santa Fe Depot. Just west from this location is where Kingman Canyon begins so you will not be very far from the trains and the food, if you like Mexican.

16

Fullerton, California. Railfanning hotspot.

Adjacent to the Amtrak/Metrolink station (Harbor at Commonwealth) in the transportation plaza is Knowlwood Restaurant. This firm has been in business over 50 years and they turn out terrific food. Specializing in burgers and sides, the breakfast is also good.

Highly recommended by this local. [dinner]

http://www.knowlwoodrestaurants.com/burgers_and_more.html

17

Main Street Depot

115 East Collins Street

Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Right next to the CP’s high-speed mainline!

YUM!!!

18

Hey, let’s try and get together sometime when the weather warms up. Gabe and I ate a burger at Northsides (CN line) a couple of years ago.

Carl, it is regular bar food…burgers, fries, etc. The Monon museum has pretty good food.

My favorite dining/rail experience is in Flagstaff, Az. I have mentioned this several times, it is along the BNSF mainline on the eastside of town. Cant remember the name of it, but it is railroad theme named, something like Railroad Cafe. Excellent food, large portions and the Transcon line across the street. In an hour, you can easily see 4-6 trains.

ed

19

I like the “Sunrise Family Restaurant” in Rochelle, Ill. I’ve had breakfast, lunch and dinner there many times and have never been disappointed. The fare runs from sandwiches up to complete dinners; and compared to what we’d pay in Chicagoland, it’s very inexpensive.

Don’t want to let you think it is close to the tracks; it is about a mile north, just east of the Comfort Inn. - al s.

20

The Packinghouse in Galesburg is good. We had a table by the window. Many trains and a great steak.