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Railfan Sites in Missouri

A self-guiding railfan tour

Ken Kuehne is the Editor for Frograil's Missouri Railfan page.

To submit contributions, corrections and/or additions to the Missouri page, please e-mail Ken here (after removing spaces and substituting for "at"): zwsplac "at" hotmail . com

Railfan, railfan--where do you see trains in Missouri?

Webmaster's Note: Any use of the first person singular pronoun within all of Frograil refers specifically to Tony Hill, unless specifically otherwise noted.

Mapwork: If you're going to be looking for railfan locations, you'll need an industrial strength map resource. I definitely recommend you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.

Cities And Sites

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BARRETT -- MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT (January 2007)

Barrett (which on some maps is Barretts) is a community in southwest St Louis County. Heading south on I-270, take exit 7 for Big Bend Road. There is no exit for northbound traffic on I-270. Go west on Big Bend to a right onto Barrett Station Road. Just past Trossock Road, slow down in anticipation of the railroad. Pass the railroad and park, or park in the museum's parking lot. Barrett Station Road is busy and narrow, so be careful.

The deep rock cut immediately east of Barrett Station Road in Kirkwood, MO (descending the hill as one approaches the National Museum of Transportation) is a particularly scenic setting, though one must time a visit to ensure that the sun penetrates the deep cutting. The best views here are for westbounds in the mid to late afternoon.

The St. Louis County Museum of Transport has an extensive collection of locomotives, trolleys, automobiles, and even an airplane and tugboat or 2. It is certainly worth a visit.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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BEVERLY (August 2004)

From Kansas City International Airport, take I-29 north to exit 18 at MO-92, and take the latter west towards the Missouri River and Leavenworth, Kansas. Go thru Platte City, and at the intersection of MO-92 and MO-45, take the latter south and under the bridge. This will put you parallel to the BNSF Lincoln - Kansas City main line. This is the location of the East Leavenworth siding. This area is identified by MapQuest as Beverly, but note that there is a community known as East Leavenworth which is geographically south of here.

The area is wide open, and you'll see the headlights of trains for miles. The only downer is that there is really no good place to pull off the side of the road, except private farm roads or driveways. On the other hand, there is very little traffic, so it's not at all a dangerous location. Alexander estimates the train traffic at a most impressive 3-4 per hour, including lots of Powder River Basin coal and empties using distributed power on the rear.

Frograil thanks Alexander Rodriguez-Mora for this location. If you have time, you can make a mini-tour out of the following, in logical start to end order:

Beverly (MO)
East Leavenworth
Leavenworth -- Dakota Street (KS)
Leavenworth -- Landing Park

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BRIDGETON -- NS BRIDGE (January 2007)

From MO-370 (an expressway), take exit 9 and go south on Earth City Expressway. Park in the vicinity of the bridge and scout for a shot you're happy with. This is a big mutha bridge, and you might have to do some fair amount of scouting. It will be worth it.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi.

CARTHAGE (July 1995)

This is just a short squib from the July 1995 issue of trains, but is worthy of mention. The Missouri and Northern Arkansas is headquartered in Carthage, and has a yard and small engine facility in the north side of town. Can't give you any street directions, but any decent map should include the MoPac depot, which is now MNA.

[Note: This material was adapted from info provided by TRAINS Magazine in August of 1995. If you don't subscribe to TRAINS, well, you should. It's an excellent publication. Get on its web site here. ]

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EAST LEAVENWORTH

If you are starting from the Beverly location, continue south on MO-45 until you reach MO-45Spur. Otherwise, from I-435 in the northwest corner of the Kansas City area, take exit 22 and go northwest on MO-45. You go thru the village of East Leavenworth (not to be confused with the siding of the same name at Beverly), and then MO-45Spur will go off further to the west. Go over the tracks on the Spur, and park to the left. The crossing has warning lights and crossing arms.

Frograil thanks Alexander Rodriguez-Mora for this location. If you have time, you can make a mini-tour out of the following, in logical start to end order:

Beverly (MO)
East Leavenworth
Leavenworth -- Dakota Street (KS)
Leavenworth -- Landing Park

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FENTON -- MISSOURI & VALLEY PARK RAILROAD

There is a Chrysler auto assembly plant in the Bowles Avenue/Mraz Avenue area east of Valley Park. Its rail yard is inaccessible, but you can see the locomotives of the Missouri and Valley Park Railroad off Bowles Avenue.

In July 2002, BNSF leased it's 2.14 mile line from the Springfield - St Louis main line in Valley Park up to the Chrysler plant in Fenton. BNSF delivers in-bound traffic to the yard at Bowles, and takes the out-bound traffic back to Lindenwood Yard in St Louis. The M&VP arranges the in-bounds, works the Chrysler plant and other area industries, and arranges the resulting out-bound traffic.

Take exit 274 from I-44, and go a very short distance north from the exit to a stop sign. Take a left onto Larkin Williams Road, and go to a stop sign; bear right up a short hill. At the top of the hill, go right on Bowles Avenue, which is posted as a dead end. This leads down to the office and tracks of the M & VP. The engines are parked in the vicinity of the office, and are best photographed in late morning to mid-afternoon. Do not venture onto any tracks.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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FORT BELLEFONTAINE

US-67/MO-367 cross the Missouri River in far north St. Louis County. Just south of the river, going in either direction, there is an exit that will get you down to river level and the tracks.

Excellent views of southbound freights can be taken at the south end of BNSF's beautiful old Missouri River bridge in Fort Bellefontaine, north of St. Louis along US-67/MO-367. Lighting is best for southbounds in mid-morning. This line feeds onto the TRRA's elevated line along the St. Louis river front.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi.

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ILLMO (July 9, 2002)

Illmo is probably now more history than anything else -- the famous beanery is gone, most of the yard is gone, and mostly it's just a wide spot in the (rail)road. However, the UP north/south one-way system is to the south of you, so all combined St. Louis and Chicago traffic funnels thru this location to pass over the massive bridge over the Mississippi River just to the east. To get there, go south from Cape Girardeau on I-55, to exit 89 and go east on Main Street into Scott City and Illmo. The tracks are to the south of the east-west Main Street. In hot summer days, there is shelter under the 1st Street East overpass.

The bridge is within walking distance, but you've got to walk on the right-of-way, and as it goes steeply up hill approaching the river and bridge, it gets tight. There is no place for pix, and if two trains are passing, you've had the schnitzel. Stay completely away from this area.

This is a pretty wide open area now, and good viewing can be had most of the day. We'd like to thank David Ward for this Frograil contribution.

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JEFFERSON CITY -- OVERLOOK (June 16, 2007)

There is a small but excellently designed rail observation point located along the river bluffs above the west end of the rail yard. The park, which is located on what was at one time an abutment for a Missouri River bridge, is at the north end of Bolivar Street. The location can be best described as about halfway between the Missouri State Capital Building and the current Missouri River bridges. To reach the park from US-50, drive to Missouri Boulevard, then go north 3 blocks to the intersection of Main Street where Missouri Boulevard ends. Take a left turn and head west two blocks to Bolivar, then take a right turn north to the park.

Although parking is often scarce in the area, police tolerate vehicles on site for obvious park visitors.

The park overlooks the ex-Missouri Pacific (presently UP) main line between Kansas City and St. Louis. Unless MOW work is underway, the line seems to carry about all the trains a railroad could cram onto a double track main.

The downtown district is adjacent to the Capital Building, and nearby Missouri Boulevard. hosts local restaurants and about every fast food franchise that has been created.

For railfans so compelled, a brief drive west on US-50 then north on MO-179 will take you to "River Junction" where the UP "Sedalia Sub" and "River Sub" converge. There is some light industry in the area, and really no practical place to park without trespassing on RR property. While I have never been bothered by RR authorities while stopping in the area, I find it far less interesting than the public overlook park.

Frograil thanks John Wilke who contributed this railfan location, via Ken Kuehne, our Missouri Editor.

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KANSAS CITY -- AMTRAK PARKING LOT

First, get a good map of Kansas City. You should buy the best you can find. From the vicinity of I-70, west of I-35 in the Independence Avenue area, go south on Main Street. You'll cross the tracks via a significant overpass, and the large ex-Union Station (now Amtrak Station) will be on your right, southwest of the tracks. Take a right onto Pershing Road, and the parking lot for Amtrak is just west of the station. There is a 7' chain link fence, but standing up in the back of a pick up, or sitting on top of a van will alleviate this problem. You'll not be able to see signals here, so be alert.

For a description of the rail line and an adjacent fan location, check out Two Pershing Square, which is here.

Frograil is indebted to Bruce Bridges for the information about this rather different railfan location.

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KANSAS CITY -- SANTA FE INTERLOCKING (December 25, 2005)

Ken Kuehne has provided the information concerning this very complicated spaghetti bowl of tracks:

Located on the Kansas-Missouri state line, the tangle of tracks that is Santa Fe Interlocking is one of the busiest places to see trains in the Midwest. With the completion of BNSF's new flyover, trains will pass the junction on 3 different levels!

Directions: From I-70, exit onto the 7th Street Trafficway headed south, which is US-169, and head across the Union Pacific yard to Kansas Avenue. Please note! If you are westbound on I-70, Ken doesn't think you can exit here. Instead, continue on to exit 420, and head south on the 18th Street Expressway/US-69, to the Kansas Avenue exit, and head east to where it meets the 7th Street Trafficway at a traffic light. Ken knows this is probably confusing, but look at a map before hand, and it won't be. From the intersection of the 7th Street Trafficway and Kansas Avenue, head east on Kansas Avenue.

After 4 blocks or so, you will see a railroad crossing. If it is blocked with a train, you might be there a while, so head south two blocks on the Armourdale Parkway, turn east on Osage Avenue, and then turn north on Adams Street after crossing another set of tracks. This will take you back to Kansas Avenue without railroad interference. Heading east from that crossing once more, you will curve onto a bridge over the Kansas River, with the Kemper Arena on your left, and a cool double deck railroad bridge on your right, and come to a stoplight. At the stoplight, turn right, and you will curve down to ground level by some large parking lots. Turn left onto the first road you come to which is State Line Road, and that will lead you down to the junction. If you go under Kansas Avenue, you've gone too far.

At the junction, State Line Road (and yes, it is on the state line) will cross several tracks. Cross them all and turn into the business's parking lot. DO NOT turn into the gravel lot amidst the tracks. Once upon a time it was perfectly fine to railfan there, but for reasons unknown, it is no longer allowed, and it is now posted against tresspassing. Several railfans have said it is fine to park in the parking lot.

Rail Activity: Ken has no idea what 24-hour train counts would yield, but traffic ranges from somewhat dead to constant. On average, I see a train movement every 10-15 minutes. This junction is so complicated that even a concise description of it would take a while, but at this location you will see UP, BNSF, and KCS trains. Photography is somewhat limited from the parking lot, but taking pictures from the street crossing yields better angles. Trains come by on 3 levels here, including the main level trackage, the KCT high line, and the BNSF flyover, which is higher than everything, but tough to photo from this location. Also, a half block east the BNSF ex-Frisco line passes through.

Other Considerations: This area has a rough feel to it, but Ken has never had any trouble safety-wise railfanning here. Still, keep your eyes open, and preferably bring a friend. Food accommodations can be found at a McDonalds at the corner of Kansas Avenue and the 7th Street Trafficway, and there are hotels a few miles west on I-70.

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KANSAS CITY -- TWO PERSHING SQUARE (June 3, 2003)

First, get a good map of Kansas City. You should buy the best you can find. From the vicinity of I-70, west of I-35 in the Independence Avenue area, go south on Main Street. You'll cross the tracks via a significant overpass, and the large ex-Union Station (now Amtrak Station) will be on your right, southwest of the tracks. In this area is a large office complex named Two Pershing Square. There is a parking garage adjacent to the station which is part of the office complex, and it offers a great place to view the action on the Kansas City Terminal. The KCT tracks carry the east - west BNSF transcon traffic thru the city, as well as many Union Pacific trains. Indeed, you can see almost anything here, definitely including all of the Amtrak traffic to and from the city.

To get to the garage from Main Street immediately south of the overpass, take a right and enter the Amtrak parking lot, then bear left until you wrap around under the road you entered on, then keep going into the covered loading dock area. The entrance to the Two Pershing Square garage is signed, and it's up the ramp to the left, past the loading docks (there's a 3-way stop). You'll have to pay to park (about $10.00 for the entire day). Go to level 2, the highest level in the garage. You'll be able to see signals in both directions, which is good, because there are no grade crossings for several miles in both directions, and there is also lots of other noise in the area.

So, now to a post 9-11 security issue: If you are going to hang around inside the parking garage, what are you going to do about the security folks who are paid to detect and eliminate people that act weird? Don't you suppose that to the average Joe or Mary, a guy hanging around in a parking garage all day is kind of suspect? You bet! Talk to the folks in the garage and let them know who you are and what you're interested in. Show them some of your pix. Show them how your scanning radio works. Invite them to spend some time with you. Whatever you do, don't try to sneak under the radar of the local security folks. Not only could you get thrown out of the garage, you could be in for far worse if a serious misunderstanding were to take place.

Frograil is indebted to Bruce Bridges for the information about this urban, somewhat complicated railfan location. This is a complex spot, but one which a little prior study and on-the-ground common sense can make into an excellent location.

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KIRKWOOD -- SOUTH CLAY AVENUE (January 2007)

This is a classic photo location from way way back. From the station, walk west on East Argonne Street, cross Kirkwood Road, and then walk a block more to Clay, turn left, and the overpass of the tracks is less than a block away. The best shots are of westbounds from mid to late afternoon.

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KIRKWOOD -- STATION AREA (January 2007)

This is a great place to watch trains. The track is east-west, and there are benches in a small park to the south of the track. You can also sit on the grass under a nice tree, and watch the parade. If you have some time to kill, and especially if you have some young children or grandchildren, this is a wonderful place to watch trains. The tonnage thru here has exploded in recent years, as Powder River coal has bumped annual tonnage ratings to over 100 million tons a year. That's a lot of trains, freight, and coal. All UP St Louis - Kansas City traffic will roll by before your very eyes. Enjoy.

From I-44 southwest of the city of St Louis, take exit 277 for Kirkwood Road, and drive north into the town of Kirkwood. Take a right onto East Argonne Drive, and then your first right onto South Taylor Avenue, and find a place to park. Walk around and find a place you like.

Warning: The city of Kirkwood has been notorious for operating a radar trap on Kirkwood Road for decades. Be careful.

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LAMAR (August 2007)

From the US-71 by-pass on the west side of town, take US-160 into town. This will become 12th Street once in town. Go south on Gulf Street and you'll soon cross the BNSF Springfield - Ft Scott - Kansas City main line. Take a left at 21st Street, and you'll then cross the Missouri and Northern Arkansas tracks. The two lines meet at an interlocking plant north of 21st and west of Highway Kk, which is just east of the tracks via 21st. Do some exploring to get the best photo locations, but keep off railroad property.

Besides the obvious BNSF and MNA traffic, Union Pacific uses the latter via trackage rights, so you can see just about anything at the diamonds.

Frograil thanks Gerald R. Driggs for this contribution.

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MARCELINE (October 1, 1999)

Marceline used to be a crew change point for ATSF trains, but the darned things go so fast and so far that BNSF no longer changes crews here. The trains, up to 50 a day, zoom right thru the middle of town, on a NE-SW bias, as Chicago-Kansas City traffic just keeps on rolling. There is a wooden overhead bridge which provides open areas for pictures on both sides of the tracks.

From US-36 west of its intersection with US-63, go south on MO-5. Marceline is just a few miles, and with less than 3,000 souls, the tracks are impossible to miss.

Thanks to Joseph Oates, who winters in the south, and spends warmer times as a camping vagabond, driving around recording railfan site data. We hope to hear more from him in the future.

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OAKVILLE -- CLIFF CAVE PARK (January 2007)

From I-255 south of the city of St Louis, take exit 2 for Telegraph Road/MO-231. Go south about 2 miles to a crossroads with Baumgartner on the right and Cliff Cave Road on the left. Turn onto Cliff Cave, and it will eventually become Cliff Cave Park Drive. Drive to the end of the road, and walk in from where the road stops.

If a southbound train is available on this lightly trafficked line, there is a gorgeous mid-morning shot for southbound trains available immediately north of the Cliff Cave Road crossing at Cliff Cave County Park.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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OSAGE HILLS (January 2007)

For BNSF freights battling to the east up Kirkwood Hill approaching St Louis, take I-44 west from downtown St Louis to exit 277 Lindbergh/Kirkwood/US-67/US61. Go north to Big Bend Road, take a left and go west under I-270, and take the first real right turn onto Glenwood Lane South. The overpass offers excellent vantage points for photography. Morning light is the best for catching freights working east up the hill.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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PARKVILLE (June 7, 1998)

On the BNSF St. Joseph Subdivision, this small town of 2,500 sees some 40 trains per 24 hours. In the town is a small station which is being converted into a city hall facility. There is also a nice S-curve for photographers here. This is a nice small town with big-time railroading action.

From I-635 north of Kansas City, Missouri, take exit 11 to get on MO-9 heading west. Parkville is 3-4 miles west of the I-635 interchange.

Frograil tips its hat to Eric Burris from Kansas, who has given us this information.

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ROCKVIEW (July 9, 2002)

From I-55 south of Cape Girardeau, take exit 89, and go west on local road M/Main Street. West of the interstate, you'll probably see the road identified only as highway M. The BNSF comes southwest from Cape, and then veers due south. The UP comes mostly due west from Illmo. Note that MapQuest has the UP erroneously labeled as "St Louis Southwestern". Highway M will make a 90° turn to the south just before the BNSF, and will cross the UP just before the tiny hamlet of Rockview. The crossing is at grade, and there is a highway overpass which offers shade during the summer.

Frograil would like to thank David Ward for this contribution.

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ST CHARLES -- NS BRIDGE (January 2007)

When Norfolk Southern leaves the city of St Louis towards Moberly and Kansas City, it goes northwest thru St Louis County, and then over the Missouri River at St Charles. The western end of the bridge is good for photography. Take MO-370, which is an expressway from St Louis County over the river and take the first exit, which is MO-94. Go south, under MO-370, and scout out a location that suits you. Don't even think about trespassing on NS property.

This is a noisy location, so be alert.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- CARONDELET PARK (January 2007)

It is possible to photograph Amtrak's "Texas Eagle" coming north through Carondelet Park during the longest days of summer. There is a beautiful old iron bridge at the north side of Carondelet Park that carries Grand Drive over the UP and which makes a perfect frame for a train passing beneath. This is very definitely a morning shot, based both on the train's direction and that of the sun. This is a lightly traveled line today, so you'll want to know about when the train will get to the park area. The folks at the Amtrak station can probably give you an approximate arrival time.

From I-55 in the southeast part of St Louis, take exit 202C for Loughborough Avenue. Go northwest on Loughborough, cross the tracks, and take a right onto Loughborough Drive. This will shortly join South Grand Drive. Take the jog right onto Grand, and at the north edge of the park, the street will veer broadly to the right, cross over the bridge that Don mentions, and then veer about 75° to head north-northeast thru the city as Grand Boulevard. Parking is available close to the bridge.

Webmaster's Note: If you have an interest in urban archeology, I strongly recommend a drive along the length of Grand Boulevard. When I took this drive in the mid-80's, it was depressing, as most of the entire length of the street was urban blight -- and seemed downright dangerous in places. On the other hand, the buildings along the street still showed that the city was right to call it "Grand", and it must have been really something in its day. Bring a male friend with you.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- GRAND BOULEVARD (January 2007)

Grand Boulevard is probably a little too far west for the walking tour of the Mill Creek Valley, but you don't want to miss it. The overpass of the "valley" is literally right over the place where the BNSF and UP lines converge. These lines are immediately south of the MetroLine light rail line.

From I-64 headed west, take exit 38A for Forest Park Avenue. This will take you to Grand, and you should take a left and go under the interstate, and then over the railroads. Just south of the tracks, look for Gratiot Street on your left. Take the left and park.

From I-64 headed east, take exit 37 for Grand Boulevard. Take a right and head south, cross the tracks, and look for Gratiot Street on your left. Take the left and park.

This is a good photo location, with sidewalks on either side of the broad overpass.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- GRATIOT TOWER AREA (January 2007)

Gratiot Tower is no more, and if you were familiar with the area in the early 1980's, you'd be excused for missing the location altogether. That said, however, the rail traffic and junctions are still there, and it is still a good train watching location. It is located just southwest of the intersection of I-55 and I-64.

Here are perhaps over-simplified driving directions, starting on South 8th Street on the west side of Busch Stadium. Go south under I-64/US-40, and the street will bend to the southeast, magically becoming South 7th Street in the process. Go under the various tracks, and you'll come to an intersection with Chouteau Street. In this entire area, new office buildings and GOK what else now occupies land that was developed only minimally 2 decades ago. That means parking is a problem. Your Webmaster left St Louis in 1994, and parking was a bear already. Be prepared to do some hoofing.

From the corner of Chouteau and South 7th (assuming you are walking -- don't try to drive this), go one block west on Chouteau, turn right onto South 8th Street, and the location of the tower is at South 8th and Gratiot streets.

The walk will be well worth it, as all Chicago - St Louis Amtrak, BNSF traffic for Lindenwood Yard, UP traffic for Lethbridge Yard, and TRRA traffic will go thru here. I'll use this Gratiot Tower location as the start for a nice walk along the St Louis Mill Creek Valley, wherein we'll see several railfan locations, and probably plenty of trains.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- MILL CREEK VALLEY WALKING TOUR (January 2007)

From Gratiot Tower west, you are treated to one of the finest urban railfanning opportunities you're going to see. To drive from point A to point B, park, and repeat for several stops is, to put it bluntly, impractical, irritating, and not worth the effort. There are gated areas, new office and industrial locations, etc, that prohibit parking (not to mention traffic), and the area is not huge, so we'll walk it. It will be well worth the time and effort, but plan to spend some time doing it.

Tucker Street/South 12th Street. Mill Creek Valley was relatively flat, compared to most of the surrounding terrain, and it has been a way west since prehistoric times. The railroads and interstate today follow the same route for the same reason. From the location of the now gone Gratiot Tower, walk west on Gratiot Street, which will morph into Danforth Drive. This will, in turn, veer 90° to the south, and then you can take a right on another section of Gratiot Street. Take South Tucker/South 12th Street to the north and walk out over the tracks. Tucker is busy, so pick your side and stick with it, as you don't want to be running back and forth (the same is true for all of the following locations).

South 14th Street. To get to the next overpass, you'll have to go back to Gratiot Street, take a right, and walk the equivalent of 2 blocks, to a right onto South 14th Street. This will take you back out over the valley, and you're now well over the eastern end of the UP yard, somewhat surrounded by main line tracks.

South 18th Street. For a good view of the Amtrak station area, walk future west on Gratiot Street from 14th Street, and after about 2 football fields, turn right onto 18th Street. When I lived in the area in the late 80's and early 90's, the Mill Valley crossing via 18th Street was a rather narrow, ancient, rickety-looking bridge -- definitely not a railfan location. Don points out that it has been replaced by a modern concrete structure. There's a sidewalk on the left (west) that provides a good view of the current "Amshak" station. As of early 2007, there is a new Amtrak station being built with will apparently be integrated into the city's bus system. The new station is just to the west of the current station.

South Jefferson Avenue. [Webmaster's Note: I've included this in the walking tour, but it's a good bit west of 14th -- the equivalent of ~24th Street. You might want to go back and get your car from 14th, but the walk is a hoot, and in good weather, I heartily recommend it.] Jefferson offers particularly outstanding views of westbound trains in the afternoon with the entire city of St. Louis as a panoramic backdrop. But...this shot has been made difficult to impossible though by a rebuilding of the bridge which has eliminated the pedestrian sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. The MetroLink shop complex lies at the northwest corner of the overpass, offering well lit shots off the bridge in the morning.

There are other overpasses worth exploring, but they rapidly begin to extend well beyond the range of a casual walking tour, so we'll complete the walking tour at South Jefferson Avenue.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- LACLEDE'S LANDING AREA (January 2007)

This location is a two-fer, in that there are two (actually several) locations in the popular tourist area of Laclede's Landing, which is immediately north of the Gateway Arch downtown, hard by the Mississippi River. The landing area is ultra popular with the younger, night-life loving crowd, and BNSF goes right thru via TRRA's elevated line.

The pedestrian viewing platform atop the car park at Commercial Street between Morgan Street and Laclede's Landing Boulevard to the immediate south of, and nearly beneath, the Martin Luther King Bridge, and also from the viewing platform at the northeast corner of the parking lot for the National Gateway Arch (try using one of the arches of the Eads Bridge to frame a southbound train). These locations are in the popular tourist area known as Laclede's Landing. It's advisable to park well away from the area, as the Arch and downtown areas are major tourist attractions. Plan on spending some time walking around and finding a location and sun angle that make you happy. Stay alert, because there are no horns, and a train will be right THERE before you know it, and your window for photos is not more than a few seconds in most cases.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.

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ST LOUIS -- THERESA AVENUE (January 2007)

Here's a place that I used to like a lot, back in the 80's, because it was at track level (most other railfan areas in the Mill Creek Valley are well above track level), and it was relatively quiet and safe. From the overpass at Grand Boulevard, go south one block and turn left onto a vestige of Gratiot Street. Take the first left, which is Theresa Avenue. Park well south of the tracks and walk down to them.

As far as I know, this area is still available to railfans. The UP will be right in your face, and the BNSF will be ~150' north of you. A telephoto lens would help. There are a lot of trains thru here, but don't even think of trespassing.

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WILLOW SPRINGS (August 15, 1998)

Willow Springs is about 75 miles east of Springfield on US 60, and 100 miles west of Poplar Bluff. Using Business US 60/63, go into town to the flashing 4-way stop in the center of town. Go over the railroad underpass, and immediately at the bottom, turn right. After another quick right turn, drive straight between the BNSF switch repair yard and a trucking company. You will come to a parking lot; bear right and go under the underpass. [NOTE: Park at least 10 yards away from the tracks. Do not get on the tracks for any reason -- if you do, you will be arrested for trespassing!!]

RAIL ACTIVITY: Most days you will see between 21 and 37 trains during a 24-hour period. There are 4 loaded Powder River coal trains going east daily, with helpers. The helpers go about 15 more miles to the east, and then will be seen returning to the west in about 20 minutes. Other routine movements include new automobiles, mixed pigs/containers, mixed freight, and one daily local. Coal trains are mostly led by SD70MAC's, with a mixed bag of pushers, often C30-7's. You will also see older BNSF stuff, including some oldies now being painted in the new "Heritage" scheme.

FOOD: The Main Street Cafe in town is inexpensive, but chancy. Grandma's has good home cooking on US 60 east of town. There is a Sonic drive-in 2 blocks east of the downtown flashing light.

LODGING: The nearest motels are in Cabool, about 10 miles from town.

KUDOS: These railfan goodies for Willow Springs are provided by Harvey Lawrence. Those of you wishing to be contributors to railfan guides such as this might want to pattern your input after Harvey's!

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WOODBINE HEIGHTS

For BNSF freights battling to the east up Kirkwood Hill approaching St Louis, take I-44 west from downtown St Louis to exit 277 Lindbergh/Kirkwood/US-67/US61. Go north to Big Bend Road, take a left and go west to Marshall, and take an oblique left turn. The overpass on Marshall offers an excellent vantage point for photography. Morning light is the best for catching freights working east up the hill.

Frograil extends thanks to Don Woodworth, who provided extensive data to flesh out the St Louis area of this page and that of the St Louis area to the east of the Mississippi on the Illinois page.