Railfanning in Atlanta

[Steve4031]

I will be going to a conference in Atlanta at the end of June. Since my school is paying for it, I will probably fly. We will be staying at the Hilton hotel in downtown Atlanta.

I know that MARTA exists.

Any suggestions on which route would be best to ride?

Steam train museum within 20 miles?

ETC.

Hopefully I can sneak away in the evening to get some railroading in!

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well I live about 3 miles from the downtown area. Atlanta is a very heavy train traffic area. Unfortunately, the best way to see that side of Atlanta is by car. However there are some exceptions. If you take the North-South Marta line (Doraville/Airport) South to the Doraville station, it will overlook a NS yard, in Chamblee, GA with moderate traffic. Next, if you take Marta North to the Fort McPherson station, you are within 3 feet of another big NS yard heavy traffic here. Marta travels parallel to these tracks for about 5 miles. In terms of a museum, there is one north of the city about 15 miles. It’s a nice, but small museum featuring a short ride in a Southern switcher on a small track in a push/pull formation. It’s entertaining for a little while, but its definitely aimed for the younger crowd.

The Crescent arrives into the city at 900am in the morning and 730pm at night. Unfortunately the station is not extremely accessible without a car. You can take a Marta bus there, but there is not a Marta station within walking distance.

The longest, and what I consider the best route, is the North-South line. There is one other line, and another branch. The East-West line can be accessed in Downtown at the 5 Points Marta station. Not a big fan, but not a bad line at that. The branch line is rather boring. It breaks off after the Lindberg station and heads along the highway out into the burbs' a bit. Pretty boring.

 

[engine999]

I suggest the north-South line as it gose through better areas of twon from what I saw. The whole system si pretty safe (atleast during the day). You can get to the amtrak station cia a short bus ride from the marta station, and watch the cresecent. However only ticketed passengers are allowed on the platform.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I suggest the north-South line as it gose through better areas of twon from what I saw.  The whole system si pretty safe (atleast during the day).  You can get to the amtrak station cia a short bus ride from the marta station, and watch the cresecent.  However only ticketed passengers are allowed on the platform.

Well first, I completely agree. It does go through the best parts of town. The only argument I could see is that right after 5 Points there is a stop right adjacent to the jail...have seen a few weird passengers board there.

Next, while only ticked passenger are allowed on the platform, it is generally easy as pie to get down there. I have only seen one time in 8 years when they have actually checked your tickets before you board, and that was over 3 years ago. Just make sure to go down with the flow of boarding passengers that should follow immediately after the boarding announcement. Do not hang around to long on the platform though.

If you want a good view of the train leaving the station, cross the street to the Boarders books. You get some very nice pictures/views from the outside parking deck there. Hope this helps!

 

[Guest_coachseats]

FYI: When I took the Crescent last week as part of my rail pass trip NOL-ATL and ATL-PHL a few days later security was quite heavy at the Atlanta Amtrak station. There was a uniformed police officer in both the station and on the platform and they announced that any unticketed passengers on the platform would be subject to arrest. You can see the train well from the above mentioned locations. Also- I went to the the Souhern Museum of the Civil War and Locomotives in Kennesaw, just a little north of Atlanta. It was a good overall museum, had the locomotive The General, which was stolen by union forces during the Civil War, and a neat movie about the train chase that ensued. I don't know if it is accessible by public transportation but it is a neat place to visit if you like history and trains.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

To get to the Crescent from downtown, board either a North or Northeast(North Springs or Brookhaven) train and ride it to Arts Center. You do NOT need a transfer, just pay the fare when you board (NOTE: That is not necessarily true of the entire system). At the Arts Center change to a #23 bus and it is about a 6 or 7 minute bus ride from there, if that. The #23 bus operates with reasonably frequency, at least on weekdays. Ask the driver to call it out, though they usually do anyway.

As to the "General" in Kenneaw, I seriously doubt that you can reach that by public transportation. That is Cobb County and it does have a bus system of its own but I would be extremely surprised if it went that far.

The bus and train are both part of MARTA (though Cobb County bus, Gwinnett bus, etc are not) You will find the MARTA train is sometimes undergound, sometimes above. You can be on The Crescent and see MARTA and vice versa.

You will notice the Amtrak station is very small, though sufficient for today's needs. That is because it was one of the former suburban stations. There were two large stations downtown. As passenger traffic declined, the only trains still running in ATL happend to be ones which used that suburban station as well as one of the downtown. So, it was a simple matter to abolish the downtown stations and re-figure the suburban stop as the major stop. Beats an "Amshack" anyday.

 

[panamaclipper]

About 10 years ago I took a steam excursion train that ran from downtown Atlanta out to Stone Mountain. Does that still exist? It was a great ride.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

About 10 years ago I took a steam excursion train that ran from downtown Atlanta out to Stone Mountain. Does that still exist? It was a great ride.

No, that is gone. There was also a dinner train, there was a train which just circled Atlanta, all of that is gone. Just glad I was living here at the time and was able to experience it. It was called the New Georgia Railroad.

Separately, there used to be long excursion trains to places like Toccoa, Ga., Chattanooga, etc.

I happen to have a picture looking over the tiny Atlanta station at three sets of equipment, 1. an excursion train, 2. the former NY to ATl equipment which used to be dropped off the Crescent and 3. the remainder of the Crescent poised to go to New Orleans. Rare to see such activity at that tiny station. Probably about ten years ago.

 

[Steve4031]

Thanks for the input, guys. I will put it to use when I travel.