Eastern Railroad Discussion > Railfanning around Austell, starting at the Howell wye in Atlanta

I’m just a newbie railfan. I watch cams and sometimes take short trips to see trains up close and in person, which I’m doing this weekend. I had a great first day. I actually found one spot along one street where I could watch trains go by in the Howell wye, which was one of my dream objectives, since so much is written that it’s almost impossible to see any of it without a drone. I caught nine or ten in less than an hour from the same spot along the street.

Then, as I meandered toward Austell I got lucky and caught the NS “brick” rail inspection cars on a siding at CP Jacmac. Definitely a first for me. Got a decent video of it too.

I know I sound like a little kid (trust me, I’m not) but I admit I’m excited. I live along a very lightly trafficked stretch of the NS so seeing 20 trains in five hours is very special for me. If you’ve made it this far in this silly old man’s post, thx for letting me post it.

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If you're not getting some of the "little kid " thrill from watching passing trains, you're doing something wrong. Don't let anybody put you down, this is a good place to learn about all that surrounds you. 

I'm glad you had a good time here! I'm curious where you parked, your description doesn't ring a lot of bells except Jefferson St which is just south of Howell, but it is a good spot both for volume of trains and lighting.

MattW,

Hi. There is a newly remodeled old facility turned into several restaurants, patios, public restrooms (railfans always need to know where those are), etc, on the south side of W Marietta St NW. There’s a lotta Marietta streets around there! The railstream cam is on Bim’s Liquor just across the street. There are several accessible business parking lots and one public one for an event center called Event Something along the side of W Marietta St closest to the tracks. They all have cyclone fencing along their back edge which is right on the south side of the southern most three NS tracks headed southeast out of Inman yard. I had a mostly clear view from where the NS line on to the Greenville District crosses the CSX tracks and heads NB for Greenville, and all three lines curving SE (to the right from where I was standing). I never could get far enough west to read any west facing signals and they weren’t really aimed at my viewpoint anyway! But after reading it would almost be a waste of time to try to see any of the wye I was thrilled to have had such good luck!

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/24 08:29 by dadonatrain.

March-hare, rofl! Thank you!

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