08-17-2011, 10:13 PM
I just got to this thread. I hope I'm not too late to the "party." If you just want to see trains run by, the Fullerton Amtrak station is a great spot. A north and a south bound passenger train, either Metrolink commuter train or Amtrak San Diegan will be by about every hour. In addition the BNSF mainline goes past the Fullerton station and then turns east toward the Santa Ana Canyon just south of the station at the Fullerton wye. There are usually a bunch of railfans hanging out there, so it is a pretty safe area. North east of Los Angeles is the Cajon Pass. I think the railroads typically run @ 100 trains a day through the pass. If you a heading east out of Los Angeles on the 60 freeway, the 10 freeway, or the 210 freeway, transition to the 15 north and follow it up to the junction at the end of the 215 where the 215 joins the 15. Once passed the 215 junction, the next off ramp will be to the right. The name escapes me right now, but there will be a sign saying "Old Route 66 Next Right" or "Historic Route 66 Next Right." Take that off ramp and it will wind down parallel to the tracks on the other side of a valley until you make a sweeping right turn. At that point you will be next to Cajon creek with the railroads running just the other side of the creek. There is a picnic area under some cotton would trees just up the road a few hundred feet (that area is called "Blue Cut"). I generally park under the trees and walk a few hundred feet back down the road to a spot across the creek from a small bridge. At that point you are less than 50-100 feet from the tracks. If you follow the road around back toward the north end at the 15 freeway there is a nice wide spot in the road just before the road turns to the right to the on ramps where you can park just south of the Sullivan's Curve area. If you get back on the freeway and drive to highway 138, get off and go left there is a gas station on either side of the road just after you cross over the freeway. There is a side road where you can get off, get snacks at either of the gas stations and you are near the tracks and near Sullivan's Curve. Cajon pass has the BNSF double track mainline as well as the old S.P. track going toTehachapi. The U.P. has trackage rights over the BNSF and of course they now own the S.P. tracks, so you will see both BNSF and U.P. freights as well as the Amtrak Southwest Chief and Desert Wind going through the pass.