Author Topic: Chattanooga Railfanning Info?  (Read 4755 times)

Offline TheVARailFan

  • Footboard Yardmaster
  • ***
  • Posts: 53
  • Long live the Virginian
Chattanooga Railfanning Info?
« on: March 20, 2016, 01:14:03 PM »
Hi all,

I will be making a trip to Chattanooga in early April and I was wondering if anyone could give me some of the basic info, I know of a few spots to railfan and have found some that I'd at least like to scout out. I will definitely be stopping by Coffey's Cliff, the Tennessee River Bridge (Which side is better, north or south?) and 23rd St.

Here's a list of what I'd like to know:

1. Train Frequency (Per day)
2. Radio Frequencies
3. Spots other than the three aforementioned
4. Night Railfanning?
5. Any special notes regarding the area
6. General advice

I will also be stopping in Knoxville for a little while on the way there, so any information for there would help too.

Thanks & Best Regards,
Justin


TheVARailFan; home base: Norfolk, VA

Offline florida581

  • Old Head
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
Re: Chattanooga Railfanning Info?
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2016, 02:45:11 PM »
I'm a regular visitor to Chattanooga and I can help with a handful of your questions.

1.  NS runs around 70 trains a day through Chattanooga.  That includes trains originating and terminating at DeButts Yard, locals, and through trains.  CSX will run about 20 a day.  Below, I'll include train symbols, trains according by route, and their average train counts.

3.  Besides the spots you included, I would recommend the area around Nickajack Lake, just west of Chattanooga.  The CSX mainline borders the lakefront and NS has trackage rights on this route.  In my opinion, this is one of the most scenic areas in the area.  I also recommend Wauhatchie.  Wauhatchie is in the valley west of Chattanooga on the opposite side of Lookout Mountain.  Both NS and CSX run through the area.  NS' lines to Birmingham and Memphis diverge here.  The AGS to Birmingham runs south while the Memphis line joins up with CSX on its way west.  CSX's Wauhatchie Yard is located nearby.  It's CSX's base of operations for Chattanooga and northern Georgia.  Another spot is Ooltewah, just east of Chattanooga.  This is where NS' line to Knoxville and Atlanta diverge.  If you're willing to drive a little bit, Dalton, GA is another excellent spot.  There's a railfan platform overlooking the NS and CSX mains.

4.  Of the spots mentioned above, I've only stayed overnight at Dalton.  Fellow railfans have done overnight railfanning at Ooltewah and the crossing at Jersey Pike Rd with few issues.  Coffey's Cliff is excellent for daytime railfanning, but I was advised to to linger there too much longer after dark.

5.  Other rail attractions include the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.  Train schedules are included on their website.  The Chattanooga Choo Choo in downtown is an interesting place to check out.  There are a lot of non-railfanning things to do in the area such as Ruby Falls, Point Park, and Rock City.  All of those are on Lookout Mountain.  The Tennessee Aquarium is a very nice place and is well worth a visit.

Manifest trains that originate or terminate at DeButts Yard:
111  Kansas City, MO (BNSF) - Chattanooga, TN
116  Chattanooga, TN - Bellevue, OH
117  Bellevue, OH - Chattanooga, TN
123  Frankfort, IN - Chattanooga, TN
124  Chattanooga, TN - Decatur, IL
129  Chattanooga, TN - Birmingham, AL
130  New Orleans, LA - Chattanooga, TN
131  Knoxville, TN - Chattanooga, TN
132  Chattanooga, TN - Knoxville, TN
134  Chattanooga, TN - Linwood, NC
144  Chattanooga, TN - Elkhart, IN
147  Cincinnati, OH - Chattanooga, TN
148  Chattanooga, TN - Cincinnati, OH
164  Birmingham, AL - Chattanooga, TN
167  Venice, IL (TRRA) - Chattanooga, TN
168  Chattanooga, TN - Venice, IL (TRRA)
170  Chattanooga, TN - Conway, PA
177  Chicago, IL (BRC) - Chattanooga, TN
196  Chattanooga, TN - Detroit, MI
322  Macon, GA - Chattanooga, TN
325  Chattanooga, TN - Sheffield, AL
347  Chattanooga, TN - Atlanta, GA
348  Linwood, NC - Chattanooga, TN
361  Chattanooga, TN - Macon, GA
362  Sheffield, AL - Chattanooga, TN
363  Chattanooga, TN - Macon, GA
367  Chattanooga, TN - Birmingham, AL
370  Rome, GA - Chattanooga, TN
371  Chattanooga, TN - Rome, GA

Locals:
T41  Calhoun, TN - Chattanooga, TN
T44  Chattanooga, TN - Calhoun, TN
T78  Chattanooga, TN - Hickson, TN  turn
T89  Chattanooga, TN - Wauhatchie, TN  CSX turn
TC10 Chattanooga, TN - Collegedale, TN ? turn
TC65 Chattanooga, TN - Volkswagen turn

Run through trains:

Intermodal:
201 Rutherford, PA - Rossville, TN
202 Rossville, TN - Rutherford, PA
207 Savannah, GA - Memphis, TN (runs 2x a week)
215 Chicago, IL (Calumet) - Atlanta, GA
216 Atlanta, GA - Chicago, IL (Calumet)
223 Kansas City, MO - Atlanta, GA
224 Atlanta, GA - Kansas City, MO
229 Columbus, OH - Jacksonville, FL (FEC)
282 Jacksonville, FL - Chicago, IL (Landers)
285 Kansas City, MO - Jacksonville, FL (FEC)
295 Chicago, IL (Landers) - Jacksonville, FL (FEC)
22N Memphis, TN - Atlanta, GA
23N Atlanta, GA - Memphis, TN
25Q Atlanta, GA - Memphis, TN (runs 2x a week)

Autorack:
275 Shelbyville, KY - Atlanta, GA
276 Jacksonville, FL - Georgetown, KY
284 Jacksonville, FL - Princeton, IN (runs 1x a week)
288 Atlanta, GA - Detroit, MI
25J Atlanta, GA - Roanoke, IN (runs as needed)
Various empty autorack trains run to VW as needed

Run Through Manifest:
142 Birmingham, AL - Elkhart, IN
143 Elkhart, IN - Birmingham, AL
162 Sheffield, AL - Linwood, NC
163 Knoxville, TN - Sheffield, AL
174 Macon, GA - Elkhart, IN
175 Bellevue, OH - Macon, GA
178 Birmingham, AL - Bellevue, OH
179 Bellevue, OH - Birmingham, AL
15T Allentown, PA - Birmingham, AL
16T Birmingham, AL - Allentown, PA
334 Sheffield, AL - Macon, GA
335 Macon, GA - Sheffield, AL
397 Chicago, IL Colehour - Birmingham, AL

Train symbols by routes out of Chattanooga:

CNO&TP Third District
111, 116, 117, 123, 124, 142, 143, 144, 147, 148, 167, 168, 170, 174, 175, 177, 178, 179, 196, 215, 216, 223, 224, 229, 275, 276, 282, 284, 285, 288, 295, 25J, 397, T78, average 4 unit trains a day
Total average: 37 trains a day

Atlanta North District
174, 175, 207, 215, 216, 223, 224, 229, 275, 276, 282, 284, 285, 288, 295, 22N, 23N, 25J, 25Q, 322, 334, 335, 347, 348, 361, 363, 370, 371, average 10 unit trains a day
Total average: 34 trains a day

Memphis District East End
162, 163, 201, 202, 207, 22N, 23N, 25Q, 325, 334, 335, 362, T89, average 7 unit trains a day
Total average: 19 trains a day

Knoxville District West End
131, 132, 134, 162, 163, 15T, 16T, 201, 202, T41, T44, average 1 unit train a day
Total average: 12 trains a day

AGS North District
129, 130, 142, 143, 178, 179, 164, 15T, 16T, 367, 397, average 1 unit train a day
Total average: 11 trains a day
Andrew

Offline TheVARailFan

  • Footboard Yardmaster
  • ***
  • Posts: 53
  • Long live the Virginian
Re: Chattanooga Railfanning Info?
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2016, 08:57:16 PM »
Thanks! I have a follow up question, what types of unit trains are these?
TheVARailFan; home base: Norfolk, VA

Offline florida581

  • Old Head
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
Re: Chattanooga Railfanning Info?
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2016, 09:32:46 PM »
Thanks! I have a follow up question, what types of unit trains are these?

There are coal trains for Plant Scherer and Wansley in Georgia, Fossil in Tennessee, and Gaston in Alabama.  Plant Scherer coal trains are the most common with about 2-3 loads a day from the BNSF Memphis interchange.  Some of the power stations also receive coal from Southern Indiana, and to a lesser extent, from the Appalachian states.  Virtually every NS route through Chattanooga sees coal traffic with the most on the Atlanta North and Memphis East End Districts.  Unit limestone trains for the power stations' scrubbers also show up.  CSX sees a handful of coal trains for Plant Bowen in Georgia.

There are also frequent grain trains that come south off of the CNO&TP.  The majority head to elevators in Georgia with a small few heading to New Orleans.  Also coming south off the CNO&TP are ethanol trains bound for the FEC in Jacksonville, FL.  The FEC seems to receive about 3-4 loaded trains a week.  CSX also sees frequent ethanol trains bound for Lawrenceville, GA and Pelzer, SC.  CSX will also get unit phosphate trains out of Mulberry, FL bound for points north. 
Andrew