SeaTac Railfanning Hotspots

[Jguess733]

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a public place I can go rail fanning this weekend?   I was planning on starting in Tacoma, and making my way North to Seattle before catching the ferry back to Bremerton.  Thanks.

J

[Philip H]

If you have a car, then there are lots of options in and around Seattle. For UP stack train action, you can park at Home Depot on 4th street south, next to the building with the Starbucks HQ. if you get there early enough you'll be trackside, as their parkIng lot abutted the yard. Seattle' s union station on King Street recently under went some major renovations, and there are several overpasses over the tracks for watching Amtrsk and Sounder trains.

Moving north, the BNSF Interbay Yard is pretty accessible from a variety of areas - the shops complex is right along one of the Magnolia neighborhood 's main drags.  You can also see trains from the grounds of the Ballard Locks, and Golden Gardens Park. I'll try to post some. Bing maps tomorrow when I'm not On my phone.

[wazzou]

There is a new pedestrian overpass just North of Steilacoom, next to the Puget Sound near Chambers Bay Golf Course.   

[MichaelT]

There are a few pretty good older spots in Olympia, especially behind the old brewery; not much rail action anymore, but lot of track still there and some pretty good scenery.

At one spot just north or east of the brewery, forget which direction; there was a short tunnel that I came upon pretty much by accident; it was only about 50 feet or so but pretty cool right there in town.

[Philip H]

Ok, here go some Bing maps (I hope)

1.  UP Yard in Seattle at Home Depot - the big parking lot in the center of the view (and 1st street not 4st) on SOuth Lander:
http://binged.it/TBRbfk

2.  BNSF Container yard lead (Park in the Codiga Farms parking lot in the lower right corner.  While you are there, enjoy some of my handiwork on the side channel restoration (one of my few successes as a biologist for USACE)
http://binged.it/Poouwg

3.  BNSF Interbay Yard.  Park on Gilmann St or one of the side roads adjacent in Lower Queen Anne.  Easy to find places to take pics, though getting a shot of the roundhouse is tough.  On the weekend you can usually park in the lots of the businesses on the otherside of the yard.
http://binged.it/PooVqv

4.  BNSF Drawbridge (left side of the map) - park in the Hiram Chittenden Locks (upper right side) stroll down by the water, and find a nice place on the hill for a picnic.  as a bonus you can watch idiots in over priced pleasure craft try to navigate the locks.

http://binged.it/Popcd5

Obviously, there's a ton of freight rail around Seattle, so feel free to find something I haven't listed.

[Jguess733]

Thanks for the help guys, I'm going to go poking around tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

J