Eastern Railroad Discussion > Coffee shop catering to RR fans?

I'm doing a less than scientific survey. As RR fans, would you patronize a coffee shop in your area that caters to you, the fan? Say for example, if said shop was 20 yards from a rather busy double-tracked mainline? With decent vantage points both directions? A high deck out back for optimum viewing/picture taking? And 30 minutes from several other good and well known spotsand a half mile from an interstate. ? Thanks for any input,as your responds will help me decide to pursue or defer. Rich S.

Yes, I would.

You have to consider that you may not get much through traffic though...Once I get there, I may sit for hours just sipping a coffee.
Humm, I guess most of the coffee shops I've seen (Star Bucks, etc.) those people don't look too hurried either.

I think RR fans would favor any place that had good view of busy tracks, and was safe, and had basic services (food, rest rooms, parking) available. For us photo nuts, make sure you are on the south side of the tracks (prefered side for sun light shots).

Jack

cr4124 wrote:
>
> Yes, I would.
>
> I think RR fans would favor any place that had good view of
> busy tracks, and was safe, and had basic services (food, rest
> rooms, parking) available. For us photo nuts, make sure you are
> on the south side of the tracks (prefered side for sun light
> shots).
>
> Jack
I never thought of direction of sun. Yes, as a matter of fact, the photo/viewing area is indeed on the south side of the tracks. Safe-yes, near a park. Busy-yes, 40+/day, plus 4 Amtraks.Thanks

Whenever I'm on the road, I keep an eye out for places to eat that might have a view of the tracks. A coffee shop would be a great idea, but railfans alone would probably not provide enough clientele.

Turn the Deshler Lumber Co., the brick building, into a Cafe/Bed and Breakfast. Three dock doors that were used to off load lumber from rail cars become prime tables at rail car height. Observation deck on the roof. Model train display and hobby shop. About 2 acres of total land. Parking in the rear. Sound like a retirement plan for me. :-0

The track closest is the SE transfer from the Toledo Sub. THe other two is the double track B&O though town.

DRF

Absolutely. My boys and I would probably make it a mandatory Saturday morning event. Of course, the menu would have to reflect RR lineage. "Hobo Hotcakes", "Deep Fried Track Ties" (chicken strips), "Mainline Rails" (french fries), "NYC Manhattan" (served on NYC china!), "FEC O.J", "SCL Salmon", "Southern Fried Chicken". C'mon everyone! I'm sure plenty of menu "ideas" could be worked up! By the way, where might this cafe get located? Great idea!

After spending the afternoon on the NS mainline at the westend of the Rockville Bridge and 1/2 mile north, there is an oil delivery dealer and a computer shop right along the highway with a nice elevated view. When the owner of the computer shop came outside to go home, I told him I had read about this excellent location in RAILPACE. He said many fans congregate there. He said: Maybe I will have to begin selling hot dogs and sodas.

He wouldn't make enough business on railfans, but that would be a good starting customer base.

If you have a clean place with good reasonably priced food must fans would stop if they knew about it. How many would spend a few bucks to make sure you stayed in business? My guess is not many. Too many are just too tight to realize the overhead that goes into a food operation. It would have to be a unique high volume location to make the effort worth while.

I think I would try it.

Here in Columbia City, Indiana, someone renovated the PRR depot into a coffee shop. This sits along side the old PRR Ft.Wayne--Chicago main. Unfortunately, there are only about eight trains a day (CSX) and they built the deck on the wrong side of the building (facing the street.) Furthermore, I noticed the other day that they were now leasing the building out. I guess the coffee shop idea didn't fly.

Pizza Junction, Huntington Indiana. Highly recommended. Renovated former Wabash freight depot; excellent food. While they do not market themselves to the railfans (that I know of), the waitresses tell me that railfans are there often. The fact that the old platform is now patio dining helps, too...

From the patio, you've got a view for about a mile west, and at least that east. With Mardenis passing siding just to the east of town, I've been there for 5 on my lunch hour - and that was a few years ago, before the traffic upped after Day One!

For the photographer, unfortunately, it's on the north side of the tracks. I don't think you want to be dining in the facility on the south side of the tracks - your photos might have vertical bars through them.

I don't drink coffee, but as an outside salesperson, I eat out every day of the week. Whenever I'm near a RR I look for a place with a good view of the tracks, unfortunately, I am usually not able to find one. I usually go thru a fast food joint & eat in my car by the tracks.

If I had a sit-down restaurant by the tracks, I guarantee I would eat there often. I don't understand why a restaurant with a patio area would rather have it face a roadway vs. the RR tracks behind it. Who wants to look at cars & trucks on the road while they eat? Anyway, if you are planning such a place in Cincinnati, I'll be there.

P

richs wrote:
>
> I'm doing a less than scientific survey. As RR fans, would you
> patronize a coffee shop in your area that caters to you, the
> fan? Say for example, if said shop was 20 yards from a rather
> busy double-tracked mainline? With decent vantage points both
> directions? A high deck out back for optimum viewing/picture
> taking? And 30 minutes from several other good and well known
> spotsand a half mile from an interstate. ? Thanks for any
> input,as your responds will help me decide to pursue or defer.
> Rich S.

Just be sure to hire enough of the local honies as an added bonus.

Who knows, the local crews might turn it into the ultimate "drive through"...

I appreciate the input and commentary. As I am in the early stages of property aquisition and discussion with the city business developement coordinator. I realize the need for more than just railfan business. I already own another (non-RR related) business and have learned quite a bit the last 16 years via the hard knock school. Location and traffic volume is important. I can't say much more now about the actual location, until a price is agreed upon and a phase one enviro study is complete. Right now, I am acting as thought the property is less than desirable due to trackside location. One plus is that although the line serves a major city, it is not inner city. I kind of like runs4NS idea of the ultimate drive thru!

There is a coffee shop in the Gaithersburg MD MARC station. I could not imagine a better location. It's right beside the Metropolitan Sub and there's plenty of auto traffic on Summit Avenue. During the summer, Gaithersburg offers free concerts at City Hall a half block away. One problem: the place is closed in the evenings (!), or at least it has been when I've been there. The take-home message is that there should be plenty of closed or underutilized passenger stations whose waiting rooms would make ideal locations. This is an excellent idea! Go for it!

PS: Now if only somebody could find a way to spruce up the station at Point of Rocks. Wow.