This weekend my parents and I are going on a little vacation to Milwaukee. We are going to 2 Brewer games on Saturday and Sunday . Leaving Saturday morning, home Monday.
Anyways. I’m wondering where are some good places to go railfan. Any parks or open spaces where we won’t get in trouble. I know there is the Water St. Bridge I think, Overlooking the yard. Might, probably, be wrong on that.
If anyone knows good places to possible railfan please post. Also please give directions as I’d need to print off some maps of how to get to these places.
From I-94 go West to Highway 16 toward Pewaukee and Oconomowoc.Along the right hand side of Highway 16 the CP Rail runs next to it.This line goes into Watertown.In Oconomowoc there is a train station that is now a restaurant.It sits right next to the main line. In Watertown there is a small rail yard there.Plenty of places there to see the CP.I should mention the Patawatomi Casino that sits right next to the CP Rail yard.You should be able to see some trains running. If you like,take Highway 41-45 North to Butler,and you will see the Union Pacific as well.Have fun.
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/localgov/docs/railmap2004.pdf
The Milwaukee map is in the bottom right corner. You can magnify the map by clicking the + in the top left.
Is a pilgrimage to 1027 North 7th street worthwhile, or is it now some parking lot ?
A good spot for railfanning in the old days was the upper deck, first base side, at Milwaukee County Stadium. You could watch the hump yard engines in the Bluemound Yard, as well as mainline trains running to and from the Milwaukee Road’s La Crosse, Northern and Superior Divisions (Hiawathas included). Alas, the hump yard and Bluemound Yard are long gone (replaced by parking lots for Miller Park), and you can’t get too much of a view of the mainline from the new ball park.
A good vantage point for CP Rail is Mitchell Park and the 27th Street Viaduct. From Miller Park take Miller Park Way (US 41) south to National Avenue (Wis 59). Take National Avenue east to Layton Blvd (Wis 57)(this is also South 27th Street). Park at the Mitchell Park Conservatory (also known as “the Domes”). CP’s principal yard can be viewed from the park or from the viaduct’s pedestrian walkway.
To get to UP’s Butler Yard, take US 45 north to the Hampton Ave. exit. Proceed west on Hampton toward 124th Street. Hampton crosses over Butler Yard on a viaduct just east of 124th Street.
My suggestion, is to go to see the CP yard right near Miller Park. You can’t get very close to it, but you can usually see the switcher working around in there from a distance, and the main line passes right by. My other suggestion is, on the day of teh games, get there right when the Far Eastern Miller Park lot opens, and get to the North side of the lot. to the North of the Lot is the CP main line, the one running from Milwaukee to the twin cities, at least I think.
My next suggestion is to try Duplainville. This is the famous at-grade crossing of the CP and the CN/WC. Unfortunately I don’t have directions to get there, I always get there by heart. I think it’s something like taking Highway F exit from I-94 to Duplainville road. I could be wrong, but somebody, either here or on the wisrail group for sure, can get you sure directions to the place.
Couple of spots I know of one is Mitchell Yards over on So. 35th st or another place is on 27th st Viaduct. One other place is the waterford crossing where Amtrak and CP trains cross aleast 50 times a day or even down by the amtrak station I think that’s about it but I think those are some of the best places around.
Last year we got to Butler Yard. Just on that overpass then we tried to get closer but couldn’t find a spot to park or anything. No idea what the roads were, but we got there and couldn’t stop.
Are you talking about the parking lot right off 94? When you exit you are the parking lot? We were probably by it, just didn’t know it.
Hopefully we’ll be able to get a little time to kill and catch some trains. Is there a lot of action on a Sunday afternoon?
Butler yard has a new bridge over it with a suicide screen that cuts down on photo opportunities. There is not much action compared to CNW days
I would advise a spot on the south side of town on the CP because that way you at least get to see the full array of Amtrak trains. The two daily Empire Builders will probably come through during the Brewers games. But the Hiawatha service is all day - schedules are on the internet. Waterford Avenue between 6th and 13th Street is a fairly popular place to watch CP. Waterford Ave is south of Howard Avenue and North of Layton Avenue.
Dave Nelson
Hawks, if you mean the Miller Parking lot right off of I 94(the prefered parking Lot is what that is), nope, that’s not the one I mean. This one you exit on Miller Park way, and then get off of that way almost imediately to go to the cheap parking (the one where it’s a good 10 minute walk to close side of the park). I think they call it the General Parking lot.
I hadn’t thought of Waterford avenue either, that’s a good one. Another place is the Amtrak Depot in Miwaukee. Theres a little side street where one car sit and watch trains.
If you mean the old Kalmbach Publishing CO. at 1027 North 7th, don’t try. They moved out to Waukesha (a western suburb) several years ago. I think the building was removed when MATC (Milwaukee Area Techinical College) expanded its downtown campus. 1027 was right in the middle of the campus. Sorry to rain on your parade.
Does anyone have good directions to get to a good spot in Duplainville? That sounds like a great place to go see some trains.
Also, not related to life size trains, are there any hobby shops in or near Brookfield? That is where we’re stayin and need to find some stuff to do Sunday night after the game.
If you could post directions to Duplainville, and any hobby shops and their hours that would be awesome. Especially the Walthers shop/store.
Equinox, that second spot on the South Side of Milwaukee you mentioned seems like an interesting spot to go, does it get much railroad traffic through there?
Noah, that area sees all of the CP and UP trains between Chicago and Milwaukee, including the Hiawathas and Empire Builders. The UP is not nearly as active as the CP, however. A good spot to park is right on Oklahoma Ave. From there you can see the bridge that carries the CP over the UP. Unfortunately, Oklahoma is a fairly busy and noisy street.
And if you like overhead shots, the bridge in St. Adalberts Cemetary. The cemetary goes over the CP mains (this spot is very close to the location on Oklahoma). There is a fence over the bridge, but some thoughtful and/or mischevious railfans [}:)] must have cut some openings in the fence just large enough so a camera lens will fit through. Link to this location:http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?addr=s+6th+st.+at+holt&csz=milwaukee%2C+wi&country=us&new=1&name=&qty=
I am familiar with the railfan spot in Milwaukee near Oklahoma Ave where the CP crosses over the UP. However when I first went to that spot it was the Milwaukee Road crossing over the CNW. This was probably the spot where I did my first railfanning around 1977 just when I was entering high school. It was also the spot where I took some of my first railroad photos. I have actually started scanning some of my original photos. Although they are not the best photos ever, I attached a couple of my first train pictures below. My idea of composition and lightning were not the greatest. NOTE - These are scans of almost 30 yr photos, not slides.
Yes the Milwaukee Road. Here a pair of SD40-2’s is about to pass under the interstate and go over the CNW just west of Oklahoma Ave.
Yes the Chicago and Northwestern just coming out from underneath the Milwaukee Road bridge. Just out of the picture would be the Oklahoma Ave bridge and a semaphore that would announce the arrival of trains. (I forgot my "telephone pole filter that day). I believe that the locomotives are a SD40 and SD45. Also note the Falcon Service trailer behind the locomotive.
And Amtrak. Here is the Turbotrain passing under the freeway. Again these are some of my first train pictures. I hadn’t quite figured out that taking pictures in the sunlight made them look better, but you get the idea.
These photos were taken from standing right at the edge of the bridges. I don’t know if the police will let people stand back there anymore. But standing on Oklahoma Ave bridge all the action can be seen. But Oklahoma Ave is a busy street.
I enjoy an occassional visit to the Amtrak station area in Sturtevant, WI which is about 20 to 25 miles from downtown and a popular spot for railfans, especially in the early evening hours to watch freights and the Amtrak Hiawatha trains to and from Chicago. Seemingly many folks use the Hiawathas as commuter trains to travel to their jobs in Chicago, I wonder if Amtrak has a frequent rider program for these folks?
