Western Railroad Discussion > Train watching at Vancouver, WA depot- OK?

Never been to the Vancouver depot before, but can you watch (and photograph) trains there without being hassled? I've heard about Amtrak's policy of no photography from platforms, but was hoping that was more of an Eastern thing. Thought it might be a good spot to relax and let the trains come to me.

I go there often and have never been hassled except for once when a BNSF cop pointed out that I was beyond a no trespassing sign that I hadn't seen (and that is no longer there because of some reconfigurations). Stay on the platforms, the public parking areas (there is a BNSF parking area that's off limits), and the streets and roads and you'll have no problems. I park in the parking area next to the platform (that seems to be where railfans park), use the station restrooms, and drink from the drinking fountain inside the station with no comments from the Amtrak agents. There are some vending machines in the station with unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks. You can also walk on city streets to the Fourth Plain bridge over the yard for some good views, including an area on the east side that seems designed for taking pictures of the depot and the bridge over the Columbia River. And, as always, don't cross tracks except at a road crossing or do anything else stupid, unsafe, or annoying.

Never had a problem in 10 plus years shooting photos from there - fairly safe area as well.

Robert Scott
Rochester, WA

FoamersNW Wrote:
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> Never had a problem in 10 plus years shooting
> photos from there - fairly safe area as well.
>
> Robert Scott
> Rochester, WA


There used to be an adjacent industrial operation with a small center cab switcher. Is that still in business?

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> FoamersNW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Never had a problem in 10 plus years shooting
> > photos from there - fairly safe area as well.
> >
> > Robert Scott
> > Rochester, WA
>
>
> There used to be an adjacent industrial operation
> with a small center cab switcher. Is that still
> in business?


I think that the operation that you mention is gone, but it's been replaced by a small yard; the last time I was there a crane was transferring metal scrap from a truck to a gondola. There is also a grain elevator that has a small locomotive that switches grain cars around. You can see them both from the platform on the Seattle sub side of the station--either sitting in your car or standing on the platform.

Be down there this week in the evenings. Making me go to school during the day. My favorite place in the NW to watch trains. I've never had any trouble there and have used the facilities as well. The scrap metal place across the tracks is interesting to watch also. The way they throw those old cars around with the cranes is amazing. The last time I was there(March)the malting company was using a track-mobile to move the cars around mostly. Hard to see it up close.
Lynn

Great place to visit and check out the action. Lots of Amtrak, BNSF and some UP. Parking lot is surrounded by tracks as its inside the Wye at the south end of Vancouver yard and the north end of the Columbia River Drawbridge. Trains moving in all four directions as wellas working the yard and local tracks. Never been hassled by anybody, and seen lots of other cameras wondering around. Just stay out of the way and be safe.
Jim

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WOPRJim Wrote:
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> Great place to visit and check out the action.
> Lots of Amtrak, BNSF and some UP. Parking lot is
> surrounded by tracks as its inside the Wye at the
> south end of Vancouver yard and the north end of
> the Columbia River Drawbridge. Trains moving in
> all four directions as wellas working the yard and
> local tracks. Never been hassled by anybody, and
> seen lots of other cameras wondering around. Just
> stay out of the way and be safe.
> Jim


Here is the aerial photo with auto contrast in Photoshop; since someone did this to one of my pictures a year or two ago I try it out on all of my digital photos. It seems to get rid of a lot of the haze in the distance and isn't too garish.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/10 12:02 by BobB.

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I've spent a lot of time there in the last 2 years, been "hassled" twice.
1) taking a shortcut (on foot) from the station to 11th Ave across the BNSF gravel staging area. A no-no, apparently.
2) having my tripod close to the yellow line on the station platform when a train was approaching (probably 1' back).

So, play it cool, stay on public roads, station platforms or manicured lawns, and you'll be fine. It's always a treat when you have movements on all 3 legs of the wye at once. Happens pretty regularly.

And, enjoy it while you can. The way that "security" policy is moving in this country, it's only a matter of a couple years before all places like the Vancouver WA station platform will be protected with chain link fences, and only ticketed passengers will be allowed on the platforms, briefly, to embark or detrain. i.e. Olympia-Lacey station, Portland OR station...

Ted in OR

Oh, and I had never seen a center cab switcher there. Until last weekend, headed north on the train to Vancouver BC, there was a little red and white center cab, with the Port of Vancouver logo on it. Cute little bugger, in the spur tracks just north of the metal shredding facility. The paint didn't look new, so I assume it's always been around the port, but just doesn't come over to the east end much.

Ted in OR

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Sounds like a good place to go.

The tracmobile and the center cab are sitting on the end of a storage track across from the depot.