Western Railroad Discussion > Texarkana railfaning-amtrak station question

Hello-

Had a last min business trip to Texas and staying at Texarkana at exit 252 Route 59/71 and I 39. Looks like there is a Amtrak station and yard downtown. Wanted to know if it would be worth a few mins trip and if it is in a safe area. Thanks for your help.

Tgey have a SP caboose couple blocks away from the depot on a street. Or did. Was being readied for display.
I didn't have any trouble near the depot but there is a police station near it. Still looks like it could be bad nearing dark.

The Bowie County (Texas) Correctional Center is right next door (west) of the depot, with associated chain link fences and barbed wire around that building.  That said, I do not know how safe the area is.  The TX / LA state line passes right through the depot.

best spot is on the corner of Phenie Street/Lelia Avenue, opposite the Rose Hill Cemetery, where you get a decent view of the junction. I have never had any issues when railfanning there. It would not of course have been a good idea to have been there a few weeks back, when two UP trains collided and nearly new UP2542 was relieved of most of its body above the frame.

Dave,
Southampton, UK

Sorry I missed this post i'm from and live just south of Texarkana. The area the station is fine. Both city PD's is across the street and the jail is on the far west end of the old station. Just stay to east of fence you can move past the fence for quick photo just don't hang out or you'll have the jail guards paying you a visit the jail REC area is outside and have problem with people throwing drugs and stuff over the fence. You will get few homeless that wonder around so just keep eye out. None have ever been an issues but they might ask for buck or a smoke.

The area around Phenie Street/Lelia Avenue is ok as well. With the derailment few weeks ago it's been busy off and on, so i wouldn't get to close to tracks with all the equipment they have had in area. Also it same with homeless they have camps set up in woods by tracks again never had issue with them. You might get visit from local PD just checking to see what your up too, but they are friendly to railfans.

Jason



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/15 13:56 by CPR-489.

Thanks for your help all.

Texarkana station on the evening of July 31. Went through there on #422 LA to CHI.

---

FrensicPic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Texarkana station on the evening of July 31. Went
> through there on #422 LA to CHI.

Not much to look at and what's been called the worst looking stop on the eagle. The station owner has done nothing other than collect the monthly rent from Amtrak other than Amtrak remodeling their area.. Hopefully a newly formed group can help save the station and get the owner to give it to the city's of Texarkana and start looking for grants to rehab it.

Here one looking west towards the station. The second is looking south east from Phenie St & Lelia Ave down the UP Pine Bluff sub  first diamonds is the KCS and the seconds set is the Little Rock sub diamonds.

---

---