Nostalgia & History > No bluffing, this is one hell of a spot.

Researching different areas to go once the rail scene in the east deteriorated became an exercise in aha's. Many a night I thought " that place sounds interesting;unusual;exciting; or just different." In the late 70s and early 80s I hit Canada, California, and America's mid section. I picked Minnesota, A, because I had never been there, and B, it would let me photograph railroads that I rarely had an opportunity to see in action. One trip that was particularly memorable was to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. There was a wide variety of action in the area, and that extended all the way to the Duluth/Superior Wisconsin areas. I remember the one disappointment at the time was that the Rock Island, in its death throws, was on strike at the time, so any chance of catching them died with the railroad. BUT, the hands down favorite spot for railfanning the area was a place called Dayton's Bluff. It was and is  a large rock outcropping overlooking the city of Saint Paul. I had a commanding view of the Mississippi River, and multiple railroads that operated at its base. What a fantastic place to just park ones butt and let the action come to you. I remembered BN, Milwaukee, C&NW, Soo Line, and Amtrak passing in review at my feet. The Milwaukee Road's Pig Eye yard was just to the east of the bluff, as well as BN and C&NW facilities if I recall correctly. I actually posted two days in the area, and came back a year later for more. The images here are survivors of those visits.


All three trains are moving east, away from downtown Saint Paul.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/19 06:39 by Roadjob.

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top photo show what it looks like to be at ground level with Dayton's bluff as the backdrop.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Another great set of images.
The shots from the bluff looked a little dangerous ?
Gary

Here's a couple more views from the bottom

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Would be curious to see how time and nature has transformed these photos into what it looks like currently.

Another first-rate series of photos. Your photos from the bluffs capture so much of interest.
Bob

Makes me want to load up the picnic basket and head out....

What a great set of photos. Yes, an AWESOME area back when. MY last visit EVEN while still employed by BNSF I was detained by a female CP officer for over a half hour collecting information for their system. This was just after putting in the cement barriers along the Blvd that changed everything.
JB

Operative word here is "was".  The ground area is strictly off limits as Joe has described.  The view from the top of Dayton's Bluff however is still doable although I believe there's a fence along the edge of the bluff now, call that "fool protection."  

Particularly liked the oncoming shot of the ore empties with the old Hoffman Avenue tower in the background, a place I spent many enjoyable hours.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Not quite "now". but this is a similar view taken last May.  Mississippi River has not changed much, Warner/Shepard Road is now four lane and farther from the river, there's a walking path along the river, Lafayette Bridge has been replaced, many new buildings in downtown St Paul, and the former Gillette plant is now CHS Field, home of the St Paul Saints baseball team.  
In the next 2-3 weeks, this scene will change some more, as spring flooding on the Mississippi may temporarily close Warner/Shepard Road, and perhaps curtail traffic on the BNSF and CP tracks below the bluff.  In a few recent past years, flooding on the Mississippi River has temporarily closed Pigs Eye Yard to the east, as well as Holman Field airport across the Mississippi to the south.  



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/19 09:24 by WoodwardEJ.

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Thanks for this updated view!

Your pictures bring back great memories of sitting along Warner Road or up on Dayton’s Bluff with my parents in the 70s. The sheer variety of railroading in those days was amazing.   My favorite is your picture of the 2 Milwaukee Road GP9’s.   Thanks for bringing back the memories.