Where in Central Virginia can I Railfan to watch the Norfolk Southern Line?

Take a ride over to New Jersey near Newark airport by the turnpike

by Ikea Store. Exit 13-A 

 

I was in Ikea Store and I notice alot of train movement out back between the store  and the turnpike.

Also Ikea has nice lunch manu there and other thing also. 

 

 

Good luck  !

 

Where in "central Va"   That covers a lot of area.  NS is through the Richmond-Petersburg area and have a main east-west line south of the James River.

Very sorry I read it wrong. I thought, I read you where moving to New York .

 

My phone was ring about the some time.  Good luck anyways with your Train hunting then.

 

Please except my Apologies. 

       
       


I live north of of Richmond.

A few years ago, RAILPACE magazine had a railfan issue on the Richmond area, including north of the city. Good maps.  If you are living there now it would be worth it to buy. I have it but will have to dig it out.

       
       


Oh wow! That is definitely something I'm going to look into. I'm currently googling it to see which issue it is. Thanks for the heads up! If you find your copy let me know if you want to sell it.

There is an interesting variety of NS railroading to be seen in VA.  I think if you go to the NS corporate web site you'll be able to find a system route map.   Heavy East/West NS action passes through Petersburg VA. on the old N&W mainline between Norfolk and Roanoke.  Lots of coal and intermodal traffic.  In Richmond proper an NS line (former Southern) crosses the James river downtown near the Main Street station and the famous 3 level crossing (C&O, SAL, Southern).  Traffic density is modest but the line continues on to  its eastern terminus most at West Point, VA where the railroad  serves a large paper mill.  Lynchburg, VA. hosts the NS line from Roanoke, through Charlottesville to Manassas, VA and points north.  This coming weekend Manassas will host several 611 steam excursions west to Shenandoah Junction (west of Front Royal, VA). 

 

If you want NS action Virginia is the place to be!

 

Ed Rappe 

I agree with your assessment Ed. Let me root around and find the Railpaces then we can go from the. My son has lived in Va. since college(VMI) and lives near I-295 and Rt. 10. I have scoped out the RRs from time to time. You should check out CSX too-lots of it around. THe town of Ashland north of Richmond is supposed to e a good place.

I found to RAILPACE magazines and two articles, some of it is on CSX. E-mail me your address and I will mail them to you. Gratis no charge.

One wonders why the NS system map was not consulted, I thought in the internet age one did not have to wander about looking for active RR locations/lines. Other than Petersburg, the closest and busiest NS locations to the OP would be Charlottesville, 75 miles west on I64, and Crewe Yard(near Burkeville) about 50 miles west of Petersburg on US460.The Frograil.com site has some info on these lines, although the info is at least 10 years old. The north-south line through Charlottesville, going south through Lynchburg is of Southern Rwy. descent, while the Roanoke-Lynchburg-Petersburg east-west line is x-Norfolk&Western. An x-Virginian line splits off west of the xN&W near Meherrin. The VADOT used to have free highway maps showing RR mainlines, would also suggest a Delorme atlas.

I know it is  not NS, but here are some good places: Ashland is a great place to watch trains.  Also, head on over to charlottesville and a lot of action moving through town headed in all directions.

Hey all,

Sorry I haven't been on here in a while, work has me going crazy. Thank you to all who have posted some help and information! I did manage to head to Manassas today! I did get some awesome pics!!

Jim,

Sorry I haven't been able to answer, Ive been swamped at work. I do not know how to message members on here. What is your email or would you prefer me to give you my email?

Frank......at the intersection of Robious & Huguenot Rds in Chesterfield County the Ns has their line from Richmond to Danville, VA.......at least 2 trains a day, sometimes more.

This was the Civil War era Richmond & Danville RR......Jeff Davis' escape route in 1865.

 

Peter

 

 

Thank you sir! Will give it a check tomorrow.