Eastern Railroad Discussion > Folkston Ga. visit

Good Morning,

We are looking at a spring trip to the Folkston area. How busy is CSX through there these days? Any favorite locations for photography, places to stay, places to eat, things to do or see?

Thanks for any info!!!

I recently posted a current Folkston train list. Expect about 54 CSX freights and 6 Amtrak trains in a 24-hour period. Trains are spread fairly evenly throughout the day but lulls can occur. Night times, especially between midnight and 7am, seems to be the busiest time as of lately.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3520151,3520235#msg-3520235

Edit: Folkston's annual Railwatch is the usually the first full weekend of April. Lots of fun, activities, and trains!

Andrew

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 06:58 by florida581.

I get there several time's a year. Usually spend 24 hours. I would say 50-60 trains in a 24 hour period. I agree with Florida581 about the midnight to morning train volume. I was there a while back and from midnight till 0500 one or both of the northbound signal where lit for northbounds, never saw them both with red,red,red at one time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 07:59 by dstill.

One more note you are not aloud to park at the platform at night,only during the daylight..Scoob

Really? First the city stopped through-traffic on Railroad St in front of the platform, now this. Makes me wonder if they really want to close the platform completely after dark or at least keep people from sleeping in their cars. I suppose now we park on Main St at night?

scoobydoobydoo Wrote:
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> One more note you are not aloud to park at the
> platform at night,only during the daylight..Scoob

That's news to me. I've been going to the platform for 24-hour railfanning for the past 10+ years and never had a problem staying there at nights. They even put floodlights on both sides of the platform for nighttime viewing. I even sleep in my car after those marathons and have never been hassled.

Andrew

Posted from iPhone

scoobydoobydoo Wrote:
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> One more note you are not aloud to park at the
> platform at night,only during the daylight..Scoob


Where do you hear that?

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl
Folkston charter member since 1988.

The doos were planning a trip there in late january,So i called city hall today and that was what i was told,you could not park/sleep overnight at the platform period.I guess we will have to find another city to spend our money in.If this changes please let me know...Scoob

I've been watching the web camera there and cars have been parked all night fairly regularly.

Posted from iPhone

florida581 Wrote:
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Trains are spread fairly
> evenly throughout the day but lulls can occur

My one time visit there was, unfortunately, during a lull. Only a couple of trains in a three hour period. Would like to go back though. Seemed like a cool place! Rochelle Ill., on the other hand was non stop trains on both railroads in the short time I was there.

A few items...

- Take some bottled water or sodas with you as the tap and fountain water is quite "flavorful" in that area.

- The Western Motel is excellent, clean and friendly. They offer railfan and AAA discounting. Dixie's store offers excellent lunch but hours are limited. Jalens BBQ is excellent and local. The Okefenokee is great for lunch buffet (all Southern style foods).

- The platform (as of late September) as open all night with the large lights turned on and visitors watching trains and making video. Local police wave.

- watch your speed on the road in from Kingland.

Perhaps local officials don't want the platform to become a automobile flop house which would scare away the tourist trade. Would you want to hang around a platform with a bunch of strange people sleeping nearby in their cars? It may also be a case of the are being used for "car dates", so if you aren't railfanning, you don't need to be there.


If I recall you have a large truck camper, I recall hearing of a nearby camp ground adjacent to the tracks from someone else visiting Folkston. Sorry I do not recall the details.

Enjoy your trip.
Michael



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 10:18 by emd_mrs1.

I believe the issue here is overnight RV parking at the platform, vs overnight automobile parking there. I can see why the city may want to discourage overnight RV parking yet openly allow and tolerate all-hours car parking. The parking area at the platform really isn't large enough to accommodate even one RV without it severely restricting the view of the ROW.

Dixie McGurn, the proprietor of Whistlin' Dixie operates a trackside RV park just a few hundred yards north of the platform, west side of the tracks.

moltensulphur Wrote:
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> I believe the issue here is overnight RV parking
> at the platform, vs overnight automobile parking
> there. I can see why the city may want to
> discourage overnight RV parking yet openly allow
> and tolerate all-hours car parking. The parking
> area at the platform really isn't large enough to
> accommodate even one RV without it severely
> restricting the view of the ROW.
>
> Dixie McGurn, the proprietor of Whistlin' Dixie
> operates a trackside RV park just a few hundred
> yards north of the platform, west side of the
> tracks.

You are correct, they discourage RV parking all night. I am a local to Folkston and can tell you that automobile parking is allowed 24 hours a day. I've done this many times. A Folkston Police Officer stopped by on one occasion and asked if I was staying overnight. When I told him that I was, he said he would keep an eye out while on patrol in case I needed anything.

The platform is a great place at night, scanner, fans, bathroom facilities and spotlights that are bright enough to shoot video.

If you are planning on being in the area for a few days and want to do more than just train watch in Folkston, I highly recommend staying in Kingsland. Plenty of Hotel and restaurant choices and you're near I-95 for easy access to head north or south. I stay in Kingsland every time I'm down there. It's about 15-20 minutes east of Folkston, right out Hwy 40. If your stay includes a Saturday or Sunday, be sure to check the St. Mary's Railroad's schedule for their little tourist trains (http://www.stmarysrailroad.com) and ride 'em or railfan 'em. Normal motive power for them is an EMD GP-16u. They just had a steam locomotive down for two weekends in October and plan for it to return in February, I believe.

Other things to do in the area are to visit the little town of St. Mary's, Cumberland Island, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, or a short ride into NE Florida to Fernandina Beach or Amelia Island. I've attached a couple of my photos from the last time I was down in the area exploring.

1: Looking out into the water/marshland from Crooked River State Park north of St. Mary's.

2: The old Seaboard Air Line railroad swing bridge in the Altamaha Regional Park NW of Brunswick by about 20-30 minutes, aka nowheresville (Link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Altamaha+Regional+Park/@31.4244261,-81.6046006,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0xbb53e7441d523178?hl=en)

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A friend that knows the folks at the Altamaha Park said he was told they are planning to remove that bridge. Don't know how they are going to get in there, but supposedly that is the plan.

I have been there twice, hopefully again soon! No issues watching trains all night, except mosquitos and smoke from forest fires. It is always appreciated when you spend some $$ locally.

Posted from Android

RFandPFan Wrote:
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> A friend that knows the folks at the Altamaha Park
> said he was told they are planning to remove that
> bridge. Don't know how they are going to get in
> there, but supposedly that is the plan.


That would be interesting to see. Don't know if the river is deep enough for any type of barge and there isn't a lot of room to maneuver in the park itself.

steve_misky Wrote:
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> I have been there twice, hopefully again soon! No
> issues watching trains all night, except mosquitos
> and smoke from forest fires. It is always
> appreciated when you spend some $$ locally.
>
> Posted from Android

No forest fires this year...plenty of bugs though...spending the day there tomorrow.

>No issues watching trains all night, except mosquitos

The mosquito IS Georgia's state bird after all.

It is always
> appreciated when you spend some $$ locally.

Trains and a swamp (Okefenokee) are the two things that put Folkston on the map. That's an interesting combination don't ya think?

Andrew

Posted from iPhone



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 19:03 by florida581.