Atlanta?

[atsfan]

The tips for LA and Chicago worked well.

Any train or hobby stores or good train watching spots to recommend in the Atlanta area? I will have a car.

Thanks

[bnsf971]

Atlanta traffic is something of a perpetual disater. Are you sure you want to drive there?
Just saying...

[nw611]

For train shops I would suggest Riverdale Station in Riverdale (near the airport) and Trainmaster Models in Buford, next to the Atlanta-Toccoa NS mainline. Both are in the Model Railroader list. Ciao. Raffaele

[drolsen]

CSX's Tilford Yard on the west side of Atlanta (about 25-30 minutes from the airport) has a public street / bridge (Marietta Rd) that crosses over the yard and makes a great spot for photos. Here are some photos from the two trips I made there in 2010:

April 2010:
drolsen.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=55790

August 2010:
drolsen.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=63040

I like the high angle shots you can take from the bridge - sort of the "layout view" perspective. The bridge itself is very safe - it has wide sidewalks on both sides that keep you out of the way of the traffic (which is moderate, but sporadic enough to allow you to cross from one side of the bridge to the other). The biggest problem is parking. The first time I went there, a local friend of a friend showed me a spot to park right next to the bridge that he said was a public area, but it's kind of a road leading up to one of the yard's truck entrances, so on my second visit, a CSX police officer told me that I was on CSX property. He directed me to spot further south on the street (towards the NS yard) where I could pull off the side in a big patch of tall weeds (which I didn't mind doing with a rental car but would have been reluctant to do in my own car). He told me there was no problem with me being on the bridge because it was public. From a security standpoint, I felt perfectly safe there during the day because of the continuous road traffic (lots of CSX maintenance vehicles) and the CSX police presence. There are other spots in downtown Atlanta where the tracks run through, but I wasn't sure how safe those areas are. I never checked out the NS yard, which is right next to the CSX yard - I'm more of a CSX fan and wanted to spend my limited time there.

As far as hobby shops go, if you don't mind making the drive north to Buford (timing your trip to avoid afternoon rush hour traffic out of downtown Atlanta), TrainMaster Models is a great store:

www.trainmastermodels.com/

It sits right across the street from the NS tracks. Ask for Scott - he's a longtime friend and a very knowledgeable prototype modeler.

Dave

[atsfan]

Thanks scouts...................yes driving will be taking place................

[garr]

If you want to get out along the mainline;

Austell is a great place to view NS action as its line from New Orleans comes together with its line from Chattanooga to form a double track main into Atlanta. It is also the site of the large Whitaker intermodal terminal just north of town.

For CSX, anywhere along the old W&A from Smyrna to Catersville provides good opportunities. This is also a main which is the result of two lines merging in the suburbs, CSX's Chattanooga and Knoxville lines.

If you have enough time to drive an hour northwest of Atlanta, Dalton is another great location. CSX and NS mains to Chattanooga cross in the middle of town. Plenty of places to dine and a nice viewing platform with ATCS display at the old freight depot.

All of the above locations are safe to wonder about.

The NS main south of Atlanta to Macon thru McDonough is another possibility however I am not as familiar with it to offer any advice.

The two hobby shops mentioned are the only two don't miss shops in town.

Jay

[nw611]

Jay, do you live in the Atlanta area? Do you remember a LHS in Kennesaw, along the NC&StL/LN/SBD/CSX Atlanta-Chattanooga line? The owner's name was Dave Muller (or Mullen?). Ciao. Raffaele

[garr]

Raffaele,

I do live in the Kennesaw area. The shop in downtown Kennesaw was started by Peter Youngblood, who ran it for over a decade. Then it was sold to Kevin Mills. Unfortunately it closed a little over a year ago. Victim of the all too common problems LHS face these days.

The shop name was Kennesaw Trains & Hobbies.

Jay