Trainwatching Sites
AUBURN (May 9, 2001)
There are several ways to get to the depot in Auburn, and here is one of the easiest. From I-85 west of Opelika, take exit 58, which will take you north up to US-29. Go south on US-29. Between Opelika and Auburn on US-29 (Pepperell Parkway), there are lots of fast food joints, as well as sit-down restaurants and other life support establishments. As you near Auburn, you'll see the CSX (ex-WofA) tracks come in from the south. The 4-lane road will whittle down to 2-lanes just before it dead ends at North Gay Street. Take a left onto North Gay, and you'll see the depot and CSX tracks directly in front of you. Go across the tracks and park on the back side of the depot right up to the tracks.
Although this is downtown Auburn, all the grade crossings are gated, and the trains roll through right smart (as we say in rural North Carolina), so if you hear a train in the distance or on your scanner, you'd better get in place quickly because it won't be long! Also, Auburn is the home of Auburn University, and you do not want to be in the vicinity before or after a War Eagles home football game.
Dale Burns, of Dale's Alabama Rail Pic's, provided this information for us. You should visit his site, which is here.
Birmingham -- BNSF East Thomas Yard (September 6, 1999)
From I-65, take I-20/I-59 west til you get to exit 123. At this exit, go north (west) on US-78 for about one block, turn right at the traffic light, and go until you get to a 4-way stop sign. Turn left, and this road will take you right into the yard. You'll see buildings on the right. That's the yard office, BNSF's police building, and the yard tower. Photo/visitation permission can be obtained from the trainmaster, local dispatcher, or the railroad police. Saturday is a good day to visit, but no day is a good day if you don't get permission in advance of your photo-taking.
Ken Roble, Jr., has been kind enough to share these goodies with us.
Birmingham -- CSX Boyles Yard (September 6, 1999)
From I-65, take I-20/I-59 east until you get to exit 126, AL-79. Take AL-79 north until you come to a traffic light. Get in the left turning lane, and after you turn left, you'll see a road to your right: Turn here, and you'll go right into the yard. At this point, you'll be on the south end of the receiving yard. On the same road, you'll pass the terminal and the old L&N roundhouse. Keep going north and you'll come to a stop sign. Cross over and keep going straight, and you'll pass a strip mine on your right. Keep going north and you'll see the hump. In this area, there's parking which allows you to watch the hypnotic action of the hump, and it's apparently off-railroad property. Still farther north, and you'll come to the north end of the yard; here, you're elevated above the yard, so you can get a good view of the overall yard. Stay in your car, and don't linger -- be responsible.
Ken Roble, Jr., has been kind enough to share these goodies with us.
Decatur -- L&N Junction (April 22, 2003)
CSX and NS cross the Tennessee River on an NS-owned, jointly-used, very large, long bridge. The 2 railroads come together in the extreme northern part of the town, just south of US-72Alternate/Wilson Road. Coming from the north, go over the Tennessee on US-72Alternate, and take a right at the busy intersection just south of the bridge. The road you turn onto, Wilson Road, carries US-72Alternate traffic thru Decatur. As you drive west on Wilson, stay alert for the crossing of the railroad, and just before you go over the tracks on an overpass, take a left onto Railroad Street. After one block, cross Vine Street and park to the right in a large, wide open parking area.
The Southern/L&N Union Station is north of Vine Street, between the tracks and Railroad Street. Photos from the east and south are excellent, but from the west will be poor to non-existent.
Vine Street is crossed at grade by the 2 railroads as they come together. Steam Powered Video refers to the junction itself, just north of Vine, as "L&N JCT", which is logical, because the predecessor L&N joined/left the Southern rails here.
Here is an overview of what happens in the area: The main line north of the junction goes to the bridge on a somewhat southwest/northeast bias, and CSX comes to the area from due south. NS comes in on a somewhat long, sweeping curve from the west. You are perhaps 30 yards back from the tracks, and there are no trees between you and either track. Photographic ratings during the morning are very high. In front of the parking area is the pad of what may have been the L&N freight station. You can sit there and enjoy the show, but I preferred the parking area. As the sun swings south and west, CSX will become more difficult, lighting-wise. There is an off-railroad location just west of the Vine Street crossing. However, there is a small interchange yard west of the NS, so there will often be obstructing cars between you and the main lines.
Security is quite good, as this area is wide open. This is one of the best train-watching locations I have ever visited, and I highly recommend it. Decatur should set up one of those railfan pavilions with scanner, a roof overhead, etc. They would do a brisk business, 12 months a year.
Decatur -- River Junction (April 22, 2003)
CSX and NS cross the Tennessee River on an NS-owned, jointly-used, very large, long bridge. The bridge is in the extreme northern part of the town, immediately north of US-72Alternate/Wilson Road. Coming from the north, go over the Tennessee on US-72Alternate, and take a right at the busy intersection just south of the bridge. The road you turn onto, Wilson Road, carries US-72Alternate traffic thru Decatur. As you drive west on Wilson, stay alert for the crossing of the railroad, which is in a deep, narrow cut. Just before the overpass, take a right onto Harborview Drive. This will take you into an apartment complex.
If you are here during a workday, park anywhere close up to the railroad tracks. However, after 4PM and on weekends, park out of the complex somewhere and walk in to the area. This area is slightly lower in elevation than Wilson Road, and the tracks are just a little below you. There are 2 ways to fan this location. River Junction is marked by switches and the electronic tower with "River Jct" stenciled on it. The main line, which is the joint CSX/NS track leading over the river, goes straight onto the bridge, and a (probably out of service) spur goes to the west into a barge/bulk unloading terminal. There is also a spur going east, and that trackage appears to be heavily used. There is much heavy industry all along the south bank of the river in the Decatur area.
The bridge itself is somewhat northeast/southwest in orientation, so viewing from the northwest quadrant of the apartment complex will give good lighting on southbounds almost all day. Northbounds will vary from lousy to excellent, depending on the time of year and date.
The other location is just to the south of your previous vantage point, but still north of Wilson Road. There is a pedestrian walkway over the tracks, and it gives an interesting view to the north, but the south is in a narrow, treed in cut. The chain link fence along the bridge has a fairly large mesh, so pix are fine, unless you use a pretty big lens.
Traffic on the main line is all NS Sheffield - Chattanooga, and CSX Nashville - Birmingham stuff, so you'll see plenty of trains. CSX has more traffic than NS.
Fairfield (September 6, 1999)
This is the home of US Steel's mammoth Fairfield Works, and there is a most active and interesting railroad serving that colossus, the Birmingham Southern. From I-65, take I-20/59 west to exit 118, Warrior Road. Turn right onto Warrior Road and go maybe a couple of blocks. To the right there will be a road with a sign which says "US Steel", or something like that. Turn right onto this road, which is NOT a private property road. Follow this road until you see a sign which says "Birmingham Southern Railway."
When you enter the BS property, you are on private property, and you would be well advised to get in, get out, and be on your way. Above all else, do not leave the parking lot. On the other hand, if you are going to be on vacation or business, and have some time on your hands, I'd suggest you write BS ahead of time, and ask for about 15 minutes of on-property time. The worst that can happen is that they'll say no. Ken says the BS shops are not embedded within the steel mill complex, and that by getting permission ahead of time, you'll be cool. He recommends Saturday as a good day to visit.
Ken Roble, Jr., has been kind enough to share these goodies with us.
Montgomery (9503xx)
There's a lot of traffic thru downtown Montgomery, but it all comes together and runs in front (north) of the big station. To the west of the station is a big field. This is the place to see the action in Montgomery. Park well back from the tracks, and stay away from them, and you'll be OK. [NOTE: This is prime commercial real estate, so don't be surprised if this area has changed greatly by the time you visit.]
There is an active yard and engine facility northeast of the station. From Court Street, north of Madison, go west on Groom until it dead-ends into the yard. 1-4 engines.
LODGING There is a Holiday Inn (?) in what apparently was a huge old cotton warehouse just to the east of the station; it's right next to the tracks. This is the place to stay in Montgomery, but if your spouse complains that she didn't get a wink of sleep all night, don't blame me. A great place to stay for us railroad nuts.
Selma (9502xx)
CSX Close in to downtown, my notes don't include any street references, but as I remember, it was easy to find. Apparently, a train ties up in the evening here, but I never saw engines other than these, i.e., there is no assigned switcher or road power.
NS At the junction of Race Street and Bypass US 80, on the east edge of town. Engines are to the east of the Bypass and are buried--inaccessible (#&!@#)! However, you can catch switching and thru action in the vicinity of the yard office. There is ample off-railroad property for picture taking in this general area.
Tuscaloosa
- Map of the overall Tuscaloosa area
- General description of railroading in the Tuscaloosa area
- An exhaustive detailing of the railroad crossings throughout the city of Tuscaloosa
