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Eastern Railroad Discussion > La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed


Date: 06/08/24 21:31
La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: srman

If all goes well I'm thinking about making a trip to this area sometime in the next few weeks. Never been to the area so wondering what the traffic levels around there are? BNSF on the Wisconsin side and CPKC on the Minnesota side of the river. Does Amtrak cover any of this territory and are they daylight trains.I have no drone but wondering if there are some nice vantage points looking down on the tracks that include the river. I'll be coming up from the south and might consider fifty or so miles north of there however I just soon as stay away from the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area. Thank you for any and all info.     



Date: 06/09/24 03:13
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: rrartist

BNSF traffic ebbs and flows, meaning some days are good and other not so, 10-15 BNSF trains per day. Early morning to noon, late afternoon til sunset. We see Z - Q - S and H trains with U and G thrown in for good measure, must not forget the Alma coal loads / empties that have been running this way lately. The CPKC has maybe 10 or so trains, the Marquette Sub (La Crescent MN south) 260-261, 250-251, 853-852 (UP coal for Columbia) plus an ocassional ethanol or grain train. We now have four Amtrak trains, the Empire Builder #7-8, #8 is due in around 1135 and I think #7 is 710pm. The Borealis trains EB 200pm and WB 245pm, they meet near Sparta. We have several CPKC road freights, CP 148-149, 248-249, plus grain and ethanol traffic as needed. As far as viewing train goes, Dresbach, Dakota and La Crescent are good, West Salem and Bangor are just as good. The BNSFsouth of La Crosse is so-so, lotd of trees and brush to contend with, you have to go north of Winona Junction to find clearing on the BNSF. Grand Crossing is fenced and patroled by a a nasty BNSF cop, the CP police are friendly but don't trespass on the main line or go on the bridges there are plenty of MOW guys who will run you off or call the local police. Just be responsible, have a scanner and have fun.

Jim



Date: 06/09/24 07:36
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: swaool

Worth noting that there is still decent ATCS coverage on the CP River Sub.

mike woodruff
north platte ne



Date: 06/10/24 13:27
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: srman

Thanks rrartist. Really appreciate all the info. 



Date: 06/11/24 10:36
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: commissioner

The BNSF North of La Crosse is forested except for in a few areas (Alma, Pepin, Maiden Rock, Stockholm) CP side you'd have better luck but with less trains. North of Red Wing, the tracks veer away from the river untill Hasings, I'd be careful around the Prairie Island area, it's all tribal land and there's a Nuclear power plant there and they might get antsy if they see a drone. Good Luck!

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN



Date: 06/13/24 11:53
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: thegottfather

So BNSF is down to less than 20 a day on the Chicgao to MSP route? That seems like a huge dropoff. I thought the Northern Transcon was in the 30-40 range unless there are other lines feeding in a good amount. Thanks. 



Date: 06/13/24 22:15
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: commissioner

thegottfather Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So BNSF is down to less than 20 a day on the
> Chicgao to MSP route? That seems like a huge
> dropoff. I thought the Northern Transcon was in
> the 30-40 range unless there are other lines
> feeding in a good amount. Thanks. 
I'm kinda surprised too, althrough rrartist is from La Crosse and his son is/was an engineer for BNSF out of La Crosse. The only line feeding any traffic to the transcon west of Chicago is the Barstow Sub between Savanna and Galesburg, IL. La Crosse has a yard but aside from a couple locals, I don't think anything originates or terminates there. 

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN



Date: 06/14/24 04:18
Re: La Crosse Wisconsin Info needed
Author: howeld

There are several railcams on the BNSF side. Steel Highway on YouTube.
Figure out travel times from the cameras to where you happen to be and then use the 12 hour playback to get an idea on what traffic is like.

Posted from iPhone



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