Best overpasses to Railfan from in Philly/surrounding area

Hello All,
I plan to take a trip to Philly this Friday. Where are the best overpasses to railfan.
I'll only be by the 30th Street sta area. How is Spring Garden Street? I hope the neighborhood is safe to walk through there between PHL and the bridge. thanks.

woops, in the topic, I meant to make the r in railfan a lower casae. It was a typo.

You might want to stay in the station itself. The upstairs platforms are Septa's but from them you can see a good deal besides Septa, like the high line and Race St yard. Or walk east along Market St to see CSX, south to see Amtrak come from under the station. I have found the area to be quite safe. On a weekday the area will be well populated. Don't go down stairs to the Amtrak boarding area as the Amtrak security will confront you.

especially with the new photo policy that is tough to understand. Yep, Amtrak employees at 30th St really enforce the rules.

I see that there is a parking lot at the same level as the street overlooking the NEC from the north. Do you think I would have good chance of being hassled there. It's to the left of that new building which I think is a hotel. thanks.
John

I have used that spot a few times but I was actually parking my car and used the roof top parking area. Few folks drive up that far but I had to pay about $12 to park ther for maybe 90 minutes or so. It's a very good view of the whole area.

I remember about a year and 1/4 ago, I went up to the extreme top of the parking deck at 30th Street. I had an enounter with one of Amtrak's finests.

The Grays Ferry Ave bridge is a good location for SEPTA and Amtrak photos, as well as an occaisional CSX freight.
The bridge is a short walk from SEPTA's Route 11 and 36 trolleys, exiting at the 47th and Woodland stop. Free on street parking is also available at the west end of the bridge.

Thanks, Bob. However, I'm going to save that bridge for another time, and work within the vicinity of 30th Street because, I plan to catch the rush hour on the Main Line at Overbrook, Bryn Mawr, and perhaps Ardmore. I'll probably depart 30th Street on the 4:25 Septa R5 out of 30th Street for Overbrook.
Bob, how is the parking lot at 30th Street, that is level to street level for photographing movements from the north and east on the NEC? Thanks.

You can get Septa and maybe the high line but I don't think you can view Amtrak from the lot itself but a short walk east will bring some of the yard in sight.

I mean the parking lot to the immediate east of the new building which I think is a hotel. It's along Arch Street. You could get a view of southbound Amtrak movements on the main. No you cannot see Penn Coach or Race Street yard from there.