Roanoke

Looking at a trip for 2 or 3 nights to Roanoke with a buddy. The webcam has some pretty good action and power rolling by - is the area fairly accessible for railfanning? Can you walk to a few good locations from the hotel that runs the cam? Also how are people down there about railfans?

thanks

Railfans in Roanoke are common and encouraged. The area around the old N&W station, now the O. Winston Link museum is safe and railfan friendly. Across the tracks is a walkway with railroad themed items from the Virginia Railway Museum, just a short walk away. I really can't think of a better, safer place to watch trains. Trains are frequent, but remember directional running applies, except for trains coming South off the Valley line. The old Virginian main line on the South side of town is the other half of the equation. The Vgn station there is in the process of being rebuilt.

From the looks of the rail cam, this looks like a great place. We are heading in that direction for a trip later in the Spring. The whole area looks like a treasure trove of rr activity! I have noticed a red caboose appearing on a number of movements, although a few times it appears on the lead end. In looking at a few maps, it appears that there are several major yards in the area, so I was wondering if the caboose is serving as a type of control cab guiding the movement rather than functioning as the traditional rear end unit. Any one familiar with this?

Where, precisely, is the 'being rebuilt" Virginian station located (street location)? My daughter moved to Roanoke earlier this year, so I will be visiting the area frequently. I am also interested in the (street location) of the new Amtrak station which is being built, supporting service in the Fall of 2017.

You'll find that station here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginian_ ... er_Station" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it's been almost a year since I learned where the Amtrak Roanoke station will be - in the recently reconstructed Virginian brick station at the intersection of Williamson and Jefferson. From the aerial view, the reconstruction looks like it is complete ( at least the roof, anyway), although street view shows rebuilding underway. How are plans for establishing the service as an extension from Lynchburg coming? Any recent news? All I can find is not-recent stuff that hearkens back to when they announced the plan, with a futuristic startup date of ...2016?