Western Railroad Discussion > Railfanning the Granite City, IL area...

Hello!

I will be down in the Granite City (east side of St. Louis) area for a few days, and I'm currently researching some possible railfanning locations. It looks like the UP and NS come together at Lenox Tower; is there a legal place to camp out near there to catch train action in the area? I'm having trouble locating a good location to spend some time. Any other info (radio frequencies, etc), would be greatly appreciated!

Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/13 11:50 by CJ.

Niedringhous ave and 16th. You can park off of 16th. The area is safer then most of St. Louis. It's not 100% safe, but it's much better then other areas. The 7-11 is just down the street for drinks and food. I typically stay over at hotels off of 64 in Belville and Fairview Heights. It's oh about 15 minutes by car if traffic is normal and not heavy. Fortels pizza in FHeights is very yummy. (top 10 been rated in usatoday and ny times wash post).
I don't have the scanner frequency right off the top of my head, but ask for the main road channel for trra. That governs everything and all trains have to call at that street crossing. (called WR tower even though the tower is long gone). TRRA bridge view of yard is just south west along the tracks by street about a mile mile and a half in Madison. Near by are the tracks into the steel mill and you can see critters and trra switching the mill.
Take Niedringhous west over il 3 by guard shack at shack take left (ex military base shack no longer with guard) This will take you to the Respondek railroad. Back at 3 go north first left on 20th go to river make a right put window down on levee road drive slowly get pics of trains at port and leave on other end or back the way you came. Technically levee road is private, but I have never had issues as long as you get your pictures and don't mill around.
Back at crossing in granite city you see UP/NS/BNSF/KCS/Respondek/Trra close by/Amtrak. You will also see run through power on oil trains of ns from bnsf (sometimes with heritage motors) and cp off the up from Chicago oil trains.
It is quite a busy spot. KCS is in the morning typically with stacker between 7 and 11.

That's great info. Where does the bnsf route come in at?

Posted from iPhone

TRRA main channel 160.500, BNSF comes in north of the area up by Litchfield, Illinois then runs down UP Pana sub to Lennox tower then either goes to A&S or down to WR tower to the TRRA. BNSF also is on the St. Louis side of the river trains come down the K line to North Market street in N.St. Louis then get on the TRRA and run under the arch till they get to Grand Ave.in St. Louis then go a couple miles to Lindenwood yard where two lines leave the Cuba sub to Springfield Mo. and the River sub to Memphis.
Randy Allard

excellent info, thanks!