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Kansas City Area Guide

FRIENDS OF THE BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD ANNUAL CONVENTION JUNE 2019 Emporia Sub Santa Fe Jct, KS to Wellington, KS (Transcon)

Train Count: 85 Radio Frequencies: Ch 65 Santa Fe Junction to Gardner; Ch 32 within Argentine Yard

Santa Fe Junction Argentine Yard Busiest Interlocker in the US with Tons of Action!! BNSF’s Argentine is BNSF’s Largest and the Transcon, Coal Route, UP Main Line and Interchange Traffic Second Largest in the

Ground Level Address: 1888 W 25th St KCMO 64108 Address: 4315 Kansas Ave KCK 66106 Ridge Address: 2600 Bi State Dr KCMO 64108 Only Accessible from Several Bridges Over Tracks: MO River Runner Wyes Here around 1500 12th St (Left), Goddard Viaduct (Right), 42nd St, 55th St Not Recommended At Night Additional Viewing off of Argentine Blvd, Kansas Ave, and Clopper Field (1200 S 34th St) Emporia Sub Santa Fe Jct, KS to Wellington, KS (Transcon)

Train Count: 85 Radio Frequencies: Ch 65 Santa Fe Junction to Gardner

Morris Holliday Shawnee/Craig West Throat of Argentine Emporia and Topeka Subs Several Overpasses and Access Points Yard with 4 Mains Split at CP Holliday

20250 W 55th St Shawnee, KS (Adjacent Baseball Fields Can Also Grade Crossings: Address: 4731 Wilder Rd Provide A Good View) 7230 Douglas Ave KCK 66106 Shawnee, KS 66206 7100 Martindale Road Shawnee, KS (Unobstructed Views) 2130 S 74th St KCK 66106 19803 W 87th Ln Lenexa, KS (Park and Walk South on Trail 2500 S 78th St KCK 66106 Along/Under Tracks) 11400 S Millview Road Olathe, KS (Another Trail Parking Lot) Emporia Sub Santa Fe Jct, KS to Wellington, KS (Transcon)

Train Count: 85 Radio Frequencies: Ch 36 Gardner to W Augusta; Ch 28 within LPKC Yard

Olathe (Still Ch 65) LPKC Edgerton J123 Emporia Sub Industries Downtown Olathe offers Lots of Areas to Shoot the Edgerton City Lake is just O/D 0700 at Argentine Yard M-F, Transcon Viewing Spots IMF and Surrounding Area East of the Tracks Serves Gardner Air Base and Olathe

281 W Park St Olathe, KS 18301 Waverly Rd Gardner, 710 Sunflower Road 66061 and parking lots in KS 66030 is a good view of Edgerton, KS 66021 Gardner Air Base: 16879 N Moonlight Rd surrounding area East Throat via Bridge, Parking Lot below New Century, KS 66031. Actual Industries Olathe Connection to Ft Continue West to Transcon tracks with Switched by Johnson Co Railroad Scott Sub: 495 S Kansas Ave Hwy 56 is on the West Side Unobstructed View Industries in the Park are Accessible rd Olathe, KS 66061 of LPKC and Grade Crossing Olathe Safety Kleen: 202 W 143 St Olathe Topeka Sub Holliday, KS to Emporia, KS (via Topeka)

Train Count: Varies (Through Freight Run As Needed) Radio Frequencies: Ch 69 Holliday to NR Jct

Harmes Rd Lawrence Topeka Osage City Grade Crossing with Views Riverfront Park Offers Topeka Shops, Yard, and Interchange *For the Adventurous Only* in Both Directions Good Views (Far Away)

19900 W 47th St Shawnee, Park on Tennessee St (601 Topeka Yard: 655 E 4th St Topeka, KS 66607 Grade Crossing Runs KS 66218 Tennessee St Lawrence, KS Topeka Shops: 1001 NE Branner St Topeka Right Through Town 66044) and walk down East Field: 3201 SE Bates Rd Topeka 500 KS 31 Osage City, South Powerhouse Rd (1 UP Interchanges Cargill Grain On a KS 66523 Block North and West Bridge N of Shops (1098 NE River Rd) Marceline Sub Congo, MO to Fort Madison, IA

Train Count: 66 Radio Frequencies: Ch 30 Congo to Hurdland

Cement City Eton Road Sibley L CHI0071 Good View of Main Plus Double Main With Eton Large Single Track Bridge over O/D 1400 at Argentine Yard Industry Siding Missouri River Mon-Fri

Main Line Action plus Eton 1316 Cement City Rd Sugar Siding that L CHI0071 uses Distant View can be seen from Fort Serves Cement City Creek, MO 64050 and 4099 N Courtney-Atherton Osage NHL Plant and Other Areas Continue East Rd Independence, MO 107 Osage St Sibley, MO 64088 along the line (currently Passes Cement Plant that L 23073 E Mabel Ave is also Views may be available from Dirt Roads has B40-8W for power) CHI0071 serves Good Grade Crossing on North Side too (although less likely) St Joseph Sub Murray Yard, MO to Lincoln, NE

Train Count: 44 Radio Frequencies: Ch 70 Murray N Yard Throat to W Napier; Ch 66 Murray Yd/Hannibal Bridge

Murray Yard Riverside Parkville Farley Flat Switching Yard with Main Line Action N of Park with Trackside Views Grade Crossing with Main Trains Parked Murray Line Views

Service Road Under I635: Usually Not Much Going On 3745 NW Tremont Parking Lot: 116 S Main St 10000 Lutte Rd Farley, MO Might be worth a few pics at Trafficway and Continue Parkville, MO 64152 Parking Lots 64028 122 W 14th Ave N KCMO North on All South Side of Tracks Good Place to wait for Main 64116 6118 MO-9: MO Riverside Walk East into the Park, St Joe Sub Line Action Stored C40-8Ws: 100 W 16th Trail Parking Lot (CP Clarke) on North Side St Joseph Sub Murray Yard, MO to Lincoln, NE

Train Count: 44 Radio Frequencies: Ch 70 Murray N Yard Throat to W Napier; Ch 66 Murray Yd/Hannibal Bridge

Iatan Rushville St Joseph KCPL Coal Plant Spur Main Line Action Small Yard with Flat Switching Ops

30830 Harpst Rd 301 W Valley St 500 E Lake Blvd, St Joseph, MO 64504 Weston, MO 64098 Rushville, MO 64484 is the I am not familiar with St Joe’s Where Plant Spur Crosses Farm Road main street that parallels Operations or Jobs Other Roads may Yield a Better View the tracks Ft Scott Sub Santa Fe Jct, KS to Springfield, MO

Train Count: 15 BNSF / 2 UP Radio Frequencies: Ch 39 30th St to Henson

27th St 29th St Division St Roe Ln South View of SF Jct and ML Action at N End of old ML View from Parking Lot Grade Crossing with Main KCT Roundhouse Katy Yard Line Views

th th 2720 W 29 St KCMO 1550 W 27 St KCMO 64108 901 Division St KCK 66103 64108 2833 Roe Ln KCK 66103 Stub Street with Overpass Break in Fence Line Behind Grade Crossing at North Parking Lot to the SW offers and View of Santa Fe Jct Hardware Store offers ML End of old Katy Yard (Now for good viewing and a View. Upon visiting not great, Rock Storage for Martin sweeping Curve North Marietta) foreground all weedy Ft Scott Sub Santa Fe Jct KS to Springfield, MO

Train Count: 15 BNSF / 2 UP Radio Frequencies: Ch 39 30th St to Henson

18th St 24th St Waterfall Park Chatlain Park Secluded Area with ML Grade Crossing with Views Park in Downtown Merriam with Park Across Street from Views and Signals Waterfall and Trackside View Tracks

1845 Foxridge Dr KCK 66106 3048 S 24th St KCK 66106 8810 W 52nd St Merriam KS 6317 Carter Ave Continue Under I35 until Views in Both Directions, 66203 Merriam, KS 66203 crossing. Nice secluded area Side Road to the North Bench and Viewing Area view Park is Across Carter Ave with Bridge over Creek and offers plenty of space and RR Bridge over Turkey Creek from Tracks, View from Signals South Parking (Elevation Not Great though) Shelter with Obstructions Ft Scott Sub Santa Fe Jct KS to Springfield, MO

Train Count: 15 BNSF / 2 UP Radio Frequencies: Ch 39 30th St to Henson

Pit Pass Frisco Lake Olathe Connection Paola Industry Action with Lake Park with Trackside Connection Track between Junction for UPRR Lines R HLA470 Views Emporia and Ft Scott Subs

R HLA470 stores a motor 1083 E Dennis Ave Olathe, A few trains a day use this and cars (14030 Santa Fe 899 W Peoria St Paola, KS KS 66061 track, which runs right along Tr Dr Lenexa, KS 66215). 66071 Park Here and Walk West the street. Start at 499 Kansas Catch them switching in UP Coffeyville Sub on Paths to the Tracks, then Ave and head SE on Southgate the area Morning and Intersects/Splits here, UP Head North along tracks Street to Harrison St Early Afternoon Parsons Sub Starts here Brookfield Sub Murray Yard, MO to Galesburg, IL Kansas City District Avondale Yard, MO to Moberly, MO Train Count: 5 BNSF / Unknown NS Radio Frequencies: Ch 18 Block 224 to S Liberty; Ch 22 S Liberty to Maxwell Atlantic St Avondale Yard Randolph Kearney Industries Brookfield and AS&B Line NS Diesel Servicing Area Trackside Views from Road R HLA456 Serves Several Action Industries on Randolph Hill

655 Atlantic St N KCMO 1998 Taney St N KCMO 64116 Start at 5200 NE Birmingham R HLA456 O/D 0700 M-F at Parking Lots in this Main Line Brookfield Sub Rd and head East along tracks. Murray at goes to Randolph development provide good Action, Transfers to 10th St Barlett Grain, Ford Plant Car Hill and back view of NS DSF and East th and Murray to KCS Transfers Parts, and Caves await 8520 NE 38 St KCMO 64161 Yard Throat across the AS&B Bridge 3871 N Skiles Ave KCMO Brookfield Sub Murray Yard, MO to Brookfield, MO Kansas City District Avondale Yard, MO to Moberly, MO Train Count: 5 BNSF / Unknown NS Radio Frequencies: Ch 18 Block 224 to S Liberty; Ch 22 S Liberty to Maxwell Birmingham NS Liberty Nebo Hills Rd Maxwell Jct 5 MT Junction with 4 Grade Crossing ML Action Grade Crossing ML Action BNSF and NS split Class I RRs

North 3 Mains NS/BNSF 1185 Old State Hwy 210 South 2 Mains UP Spine/CP Continue on Old State Hwy 8446 S Union Rd, Orrick, MO Liberty, MO 64068 Watch from: 3801 N 210 East from Previous 64077 Take Small Road to the Arlington Ave KCMO 64161, Location, Second Right Across Head South from here until Right Down Towards the 9931 Fifth St Birmingham Tracks the tracks, then head East Tracks MO, or 400 Front St BIRMO High Line Santa Fe Jct KS to Congo, MO Train Count: 100+ Radio Frequencies: Ch 60 Entirety of KCT

Boulevard Brewing Union Station Why Not Drink and Railfan Pedestrian Bridge Right Across the Tracks!! at the Same Time?

nd 2501 Southwest Boulevard Park at Jack Stack BBQ (101 W 22 St KCMO 64108 for free parking) and enjoy some The balcony on Boulevard’s delicious KC BBQ or go straight onto the bridge. BNSF Transcon Trains, Some UP Trains, New Tap Room Looks out KCS Trains, NS Trains, Amtrak Trains, and KCT Trains. Action here is basically non-stop and onto the KCT Tracks (Over a is the best Night Time Watch Spot. Overpasses at Main St, Grand Blvd, and Oak St offer few buildings) good views (I wouldn’t go East of Oak St; it gets sketchy pretty quickly) Gooseneck Santa Fe Jct KS to Murray Yard, MO

Train Count: 30-40 Radio Frequencies: Ch 60

West Bottoms Non Stop BNSF Action from Murray to Ft Scott Sub/Argentine

Unfortunately, KCT’s Gooseneck Line is not very accessible to the public and sprawled out in a large valley that used to contain mostly Railroad Lines. None of these spots are good at night. The best viewing spots are: Off 12th St Viaduct at 1199 Santa Fe St KCMO 64101 Off Union Ave at 1101 Union Ave KCMO 64101 (Parking Limited) Beardsley Road (901 Forrester Rd KCMO 64101) which also views the UP Line (Parking Limited) UP Falls City Sub – UP 18th St Yard to Marysville, KS/Council Bluffs, IA– Primarily Northbounds Kansas Side UP Kansas Sub – UP 18th St Yard to Topeka, KS– Both Directions until Topeka Train Count: Varies Radio Frequencies: Ch 48 Quindaro Yard; Ch 94 Kansas Sub; Ch 58 KC Metro Sub

Quindaro Yard Armourdale Yard/ Highway 32 West Bottoms th Local Serving Yard on Falls 18 St Yard Highway Parallels UP Kansas Sub Made Famous by Doc’s Caboose City Sub Armourdale Switches on KC Metro Sub Autos, 18th St Manifest

Quindaro Yard is in the Fairfax Neighborhood of KCK Not a whole lot of access Start at 6434 KS-32 KCK and 1401 Union Ave KCMO (Not the greatest area) to this yard: overpasses on Take it West until Bonner 1299 St Louis Ave KCMO There are a lot of cool 10th St, Mill St, and 7th St Springs Are the two famous diagonal industries in Fairfax, yard at Some stored SD60Ms may crossings 252 Stanley Rd KCK 66115 be visible on the South side UP KC Metro Sub – UP 18th St to UP Neff Yard, MO UP Sedalia Sub – Congo, MO to Jeff City, MO (W/Bs) Missouri Side UP River Sub – Congo, MO to Jeff City, MO (E/Bs) UP Coffeyville Sub – Neff Yard, MO to Coffeyville, KS UP Trenton Sub – Neff Yard, MO to Des Moines, IA Train Count: Varies Radio Frequencies: Ch 17/19 Neff Yard; Ch 44 Trenton Sub; Ch 38 KC Metro Sub Neff Yard Liberty Airline Junction Missouri River Trail Ex-MoPac Hump Yard UP Trenton and CP Action Junction with tons of UP and UP KC Metro Sub and BNSF and Intermodal Facility Before they Split KCS Action Hannibal and AS&B Bridges

951 Chouteau Trafficway 7210 E Gardner Rd KCMO goes right over the Hump 499 Suddarth St Liberty, MO Enter Trail at 123 Main St 64120 will get you in the 6499 Martin Ave goes 64068 KCMO 64011 and Head North middle of the Junction (Do into the Yard, Technically Includes both UP and CP to River, trail runs along KC Not Go West/South of Here) a Public Road but it action before lines split Metro Sub with views of Do Not at Night doesn’t look like it Hannibal and AS&B Bridges KCS Mexico Sub – Rock Creek Jct, MO to Mexico, MO KCS Pittsburg Sub – Airline Jct, MO to Pittsburg, KS Missouri Side CP 1st Sub – Airline Jct, MO to Ottumwa, IA Train Count: Varies Radio Frequencies: Ch 63 Knoche Yard; Ch 78 Mexico Sub; Ch 16/10 Pittsburgh Sub KCS/CP Knoche Yard Mid America Car Flat Switch Yard Joint with Both RRs Just North of Knoche Yard

Start at 1815 E Front St KCMO 64120 and Continue East, the tracks to the South are all KCS 1523 N Monroe Ave KCMO 64120 Grade Crossings before the yard include: Olive St and N Some of MAC is viewable from N Monroe Ave, Best Bet it to Kansas Ave. Continue along Front St will skirt N Side of Yard Park in the Grass off Front Street and Walk Around 1031 E Gardner Rd KCMO 64120 gives a fleeting view of the South Side can also be viewed from 3727 Empire Rd East Yard where trains arrive and depart