Everybody knows and goes to the big, popular raifanning spots like Horseshoe Curve, the ex Burlington west of Chicago, the Santa Fe transcon and the like. What location do you go to that you like and keep going back to? Mine is Oak Harbor, Ohio.
Utica Union Station in NY is usually rewarding. A lot of traffic (CSX’s “Chicago Line”) including Amtrak, and several sheltered spots (including the overhead walkway - all glass) from which to watch the action.
It’s not really “out of the way,” but it’s not in the same “class” as the name hotspots.
Mine has changed over the years. In my high school days, Burnham Crossing was the place, it was within walking distance of home. After college, Elmhurst was the prime spot, I spent a lot of Sunday afternoons there. Currently, I have several locales that I tend to rotate: Blue Island Junction, Elmhurst and Berwyn (LaVergne).
The UP mainline between Alpine and Marfa Texas. East or west the trains work the grade to top Paisano Pass. Listening to the throaty roar of the locomotives as they climb the grade adds to the pleasure.
The station in Alpine is a good anchor point. Amtrak and the UP change crews there. Most of them are happy to answer rail fan questions while waiting for their assignment. I have learned a lot from talking with them.
The Sunset Limited calls at Alpine on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On Thursdays one can see No. 1 and No.2.
Why, I don’t consider Elmhurst out of the way at all! In fact, we do just about everything we can in Elmhurst, from lunches to dental appointments to shopping, banking, and the post office, just to prolong the possibilities.
If you want “out of the way”, try Pine Junction, Indiana (or what currently passes for the junction, which is now virtully inaccessible). You have to…
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Go to Gary, which many folks still consider to not be an ideal destination.
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Get on the Airport Road, which used to be U.S. Highway 12, but is no longer a highway with any number.
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The abandoned building that was once an adult entertainment center is at the corner of Clarke Road. Go north on that. It has little to recommend it, and our own Mudchicken thinks that this is where they hide the bodies. It takes a lot to rattle a big guy like MC!
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Cross over a number of abandoned tracks, including the once-hallowed PRR main line and the old Wabash, and the new line that services industries on some of the old Wabash.
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The old grade crossings are far from the only holes in the road that one has to watch out for. Lae last year they finally got around to putting a patch in some of the craters from the previous winter. When you finally get to the target area, any travel beyond that is at your own risk. Water collects under the CN underpasses, so you can’t see the road surface…but what you do see before that is thick enough mud to discourage you a
Stratford, TX where the UP (former RI Golden State Route) crosses the BNSF Denver to Amarillo line. Not quite as busy now with diminished BNSF coal trains but still has all of the BNSF Denver to AZ and CA traffic that formerly went over Raton Pass. And of course the UP trains from KC to El Paso and west.
Stratford is about 80 miles north of Amarillo and has a population of 2000± so there are good motels and restaurants.
Interesting thing about Stratford is that every major telecommunications network passes through there as it is a major junction for fiber optic cables. Not a good place to drive around in a backhoe 
Guelph Junction because its close to my house. In the summer I cycle there after work… about 60 km return to my house. Makes for lovely summer evenings. Also cross the Guelph Junction Railway twice on my cycling route to Guelph Junction…so Moffatt, ON and Corwhin, ON also popular spots for me.
In Ravenna, Ohio one can watch the Pennsylvania RR (NS) pass over the B&O RR (CSX). Several good photo spots present themselves.
WB junction just west of Carrolton MO is kinda nice.
Palmer Lake, CO. or Pueblo Junction.
I failed to mention in my post that a rail fan - cyclist or vice versa can multi-task between Alpine and Marfa. U.S. 90/67 parallels the UP all the way. A cyclist can ride and watch trains at the same time.
Alpine to Marfa and back is 52 miles. Better yet is the Alpine, Marfa, Fort Davis, Alpine triangle. It is about 75 miles. It is some of the most wonderous country that I have ever seen. The area is great for cycling. Good shoulders and light traffic. The only downer is the wind, which can be stiff, especially in the spring.
Would Hill 582 be considered out of the way? When I went (2007) one needed a knowledgeable person to lead one to it. I suspect not all cars coule handle the trip. Also, some work has been done to the railroad since then, adding another track. Any effect on the place?
My minivan handled it just fine…
Around here, I can rattle off several locations along the UP where I like to hang out (Carl’s seen a few of them).
I like going to the Pokey in WV and the area around Thurmond, WV. Another place I have good luck and go to often is the area from Greensboro, NC to Charlotte, NC and beyond when time permits. Even though it’s Norfolk Southern you never know what you’ll catch there? I work in Fayetteville, NC so it’s a given that I fan the CSX A line whenever possible. Fayetteville also has three places where there is street running and it’s very well lit for night photography and/or video.
One of my all time favorite places that has already been mentioned is Pine Junction near Gary, IN! It’s 765 miles from me so I have to do that in a long weekend instead of my usual day trips. The last time I fanned there I got 92 trains, all in the daylight hours. I would have gotten over a 100 if the rain and clouds didn’t cut short my shooting time. I can’t say enough about that place, I doubt there is any place better for just the number of trains? LaGrange, KY is another favorite spot for me.
I’ll go anywhere, mostly day trips. The longest so far has been the six plus hour drive to Kenova, WV. I drove up, shot sunrise to sunset then drove back the same day. Speaking of Pine Junction, if you type in 1194 N Clark Rd, Gary, IN 46406 then do a street view, you can see a car which is where I park and a CSX train and I think a clear signal on the Norfolk Southern tracks.
River Road in Enola PA is a little bit out of the way during normal NS railfanning, but it’s worth it. The road passwe over the North Yard enterance where you can see switchers going about their jobs and heavy motive power dragging trains into the yard.
Agree with MC about Pueblo Jct. and Palmer Lake but I also remember them from 1955-1959 when they were significantly different than today.
When I get to Colorado I often drive to various places along the Rio Grande Moffat Route. Back in th day, I also visited Minturn and Malta on the Tennessee Pass Route. There is a moving hot spot of shorts along the light rail line south from Denver along-side the Joint Line as far as Littleton. It may have been better before Burnham Yard was downgraded.
Yes- I agree, love Utica Union! Amsterdam is another of my favorites. Another one is Wells, ME Amtrak station, nice little spot with interesting freight and Amtrak.
I have several locations which I love that are isolated and along mainlines:
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Boulder Creek: location in which is assessed by ferry and logging road 100 km north of Kamloops, BC up the North Thompson River along CN’s Clearwater Sub. There are at least 30 daily trains, plus VIA and Rockymountaineer.
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Swan Landing: just outside of Hinton, AB along both the Athabasca River and CN’s busy Edson Subdivision and close to the junction where the Grande Cache Sub heads north to Grande Praire, AB. Has nice views of the Rockies as well.
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Bitter Creek: off Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs, WY and about 15 miles south of the highway along a rough road. Along UP’s Overland Route in which trains climb the grade to the Continental Divide. Extremely underrated. Despite the prominent grade, trains go very fast through here and there are around 50 to 70 daily. Wonderful arid and mountainous setting. Lots of rabbits and creatures in the area to make it more fun.