Hello Everyone,
This week I’m heading to Dallas and I wanted to know if anybody could recommend some good areas to railfan. Thanks in advance!!!
I get to DFW about once or twice a year and usually end up at the Dallas Union Station…you will find a really cool combination of light rail off of overhead wire, the Tri-Rail (double decker heavy rail commuters pulled by an assortment of diesels) and the UP main and very close by the BNSF main…lots of action. Don’t miss the rail exhibit at the fairgrounds (including a 6900 series Centenial)…the neighborhood leaves a lot to be desired so be careful.
Way back when a friend and I were at Union Station. After a while, we crossed over to Reunion Tower and went up to the observation deck. You can still see and hear the trains in every direction, plus you can see a lot farther. Not only could we see the trains, we witnessed several less well off citizens of south of the border help themselves to free rides north on a variety of equipment (the ends of covered hoppers were very popular that day). It was also cooler up there.
I also get down to Dallas on occasion, mostly for business, but the last trip was for sightseeing. I agree, Dallas Union Station is a good place to railfan in Dallas. Another good location is the Houston Street Bridge south of the Dallas Union Station. Here you can phtograph the DART’s light rail trains, Union Pacific (ex Texas & Pacific), and the Dallas Garland & Northeastern.
You can also photograph Union Padcific and Dallas Garland & Northeastern freight trains and Amtrak’s Texas Eagle crossing the Trinity River. Westbound shots later in the afternoon are better to get the Dallas skyline in the background. You can get to the Trinty River Bridge you can west on Commerce Street to cross the Trinity River,and then walk closer to the bridge along the Trinity River Greenway. Alternatively you might take either the 1, 35, 42, or 50 DART bus from Houston & Elm Streets to either Commerce Street & Industrial Boulevard (to avoid the I 35 exit ramps) or to the frst stop after the bus crosses the Trinity River. While you are at it notice the former Union Station North Tower, it’s in the parking lot for the 6th Floor Museum.
Don’t leave Dallas without riding the McKinney Avenue trolley line. I noticed they have an ex Dallas round roof car, a single truck Birney car, and a former Melbourne car.
Another interesting railfan experience is to ride the Trinity Rail Express between Dallas and Fort Worth; some of their trips are staffed with ex CN RDC’s (When was the last time you rode an RDC in revenue service?) The Trinity Rail Express uses the former Burlington - Rock Island line between Fort Worth and Dallas. That line is single track with several passing sidings.
While in Fort Worth you can photograph a former Dallas - Fort Worth interurban car which is on exhibit at the Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center. The Intermodal Transportation Center is Amtrak’s Fort Worth station, and trains of the Trinity Rail Express stop there as well. The trains approach the Interm
Hello everybody ! While you are in Ft.Worth,catch the bus to the stockyard and when “Puffy” arrives you can ride it to Grapevine and check out all the RR"stuff there ! They have lots of RR Stuff…You will also see the Tranula RR (FWWR which owns Puffy) Then before you leave go to Saginaw just north of Ft.Worth and set up your camcorder and get UP,BNSF main line action…! There is a depot museum there(Thats where the locals all go now instead of Twr 55…Hope I sent this b4 you left…Welcome to Texas,Videomaker
And you can do most of this on a $4.50 2-zone DART day pass, which gets you on DART (rail and bus), TRE, and the T in FTW. Get it out of the machine at any DART rail station. or on any DART bus. One heck of a deal! Remember, TRE trains to FTW don’t run on Sundays.
Also check out the Interurban Museum in Plano on the DART red line, at the downtown Plano station about 100’ west of the platform in the park. Nicely restored Texas Electric RPO/passenger interurban car and Plano TE depot in its actual location (never moved). Depot was combination psgr, freight and electric substation. If you never knew how a rotary converter works, they have a good, informative exhibit. Open Sat afternoons. The exhibits are very well done, the elderly gentleman who runs it is very knowledgeable, and he’ll take you on the car. All for a voluntary contribution–free admission.
The M-line trolleys on McKinney Ave. are free, but they also accept contributions. The Stone+Webster humpback car and the Birney single trucker are ex-Dallas Railway & Terminal, and actually ran on those tracks for much of the route before being retired the first time about 50 years ago. They also have a Melbourne car and an Oporto (Portugal) single trucker in operation. Runs between the Arts District and The West Side Marketplace, which has a lot of good restaurants, etc. You can connect off the Red or Blue DART rail lines at the Cityplace station. Just go upstairs to the street. Otherwise, walk a couple of blocks into the Arts District to catch it.
Bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat. It’s hot down here! [xx(]
Welcome to Texas! [C):-)]
Thank you guys for all of the info! I will definately check out the action in Saginaw and I’ll try to make it down to Dallas Union Station. One of other question I have is where is the Dallas Garland & Northeastern’s yard?
As far as where the DGNO yard is in downtown Dallas, I’m not sure as I’ve never wandered down that way. The DGNO does maintain a small yard (Ex-SP) in Carrollton, about 15 miles north of downtown Dallas. Its very accessible by taking the Belt Line Road exit from N. IH-35 E. - - you can’t miss the railroad tracks just east of the freeway. Activity is hard to measure, my guess is early to mid mornings to catch most of the work around the yard and then again around 6 in the evening.
From the east end of the yard looking west with IH-35E in the distance…
I will be visiting the Fort Worth area in September. I want to find a good, safe place to sit and watch/photograph trains. I have sat around the tower 55 area before, just a lot of “transients” in the area, which made me uncomfortable. That day, I saw a around six trains in less than an hour.
I need some more suggestions for Fort Worth. Also, anyone know the frequencies for the BNSF and the UP in the FW area?
thanks
Saginaw in FW is also a terrific place right by the huge while grain silos [:)]
Being something of a JFK assassination researcher/buff I found that Dealey Plaza and the Triple Underpass over Commerce, Main, and Elm Streets provide something of a neat location although photography can be a bit tricky. Still, a lot of action to take in and I think it’d be worth checking out. I can only think of the sights you would have seen on that overpass back in 1963…
I think I have been to Saginaw before. I know I drove by some huge grain silos on the north side of FW. There was a lot of tracks up that way. I will go back there again. What about the yard on the west side of FW? Centennial yard? Is there any good vantage points? And, is it in a fairly safe area?
thanks for the tips guys!!
The huge grain elevator is part of a Horizon Milling (Cargill) flour mill @ Saginaw and I mean this place is huge. This is a three unit mill (one of only a handful in the US) and the largest in the Horizon chain. Back in the 90’s when I was working for Cargill in KS, we got to take a tour of the Saginaw facility. The plant is on former SF trks that is now switched by a private contract firm. Just so they were switching the time of the visit and power was a ex SF CF7 that was painted in orange & white. That was probably 15 yrs ago or so, don’t know if same engs are still there. If anyone should know answer to this, let me know. Thanks.
hi everyone! i usually lurk in the model railroader forum, just stopped in here and saw this.
I live in Ft. Worth. I seem to think there is more to see here than in Dallas. If you have time it’s worth the trip.
The East End of Centennial yd. is accesible off Rogers rd. and is in a rizty neigborhood, Tower 55 can be seen in a few places, I’ve never had any trouble and have been pretty close, but wouldn’t recommend it. try the t&p station or the rail market. the fwwr has a quaint little yard in the northside. saginaw is usually always worth it. arlington has a yard that serves the gm plant where escalades and such are built. It also has the old great southwest traction line which serves a bunch of industries snaking through oak groves.
look up the railspot yahoo group. it’s all texas rail stuff and has a lot about d/fw
thanks for that info on FW. That helps a bunch. At least, I know where to go, and not get mugged.
I will be staying down in Crowley, have been fortunate to catch a few UP freights running through there. One was a SP, unpatched unit.[swg]
Don’t have current info, but +/- 15 years ago there was a Hilton Hotel down near the Tower 55/former T&P station and office building area. From the top floors on one side you could get a view of train action with binoculars or a telephoto lens. The old Santa Fe station is close by.
As an interesting historical note, in 1963 the building was the Hotel Texas, where JFK stayed the night before he was shot in Dallas.