Railfan hotspots in a day's drive

[mikekmac]

I've set for myself the completely arbitrary goal of having a 50-train day before the leaves turn again. Since I live in the Lansing area, this requires a road trip. Because money, a day trip, not an overnighter. Since I used to live in Goshen right by the NS Chicago Line, I'm wondering if I might be able to meet my goal there, in the area between Robert Young/the NYC museum and the Marion Branch.

Regarding Waterloo IN - last August I drove to Waterloo to put my son on Amtrak's eastbound Lake Shore. The train was more than two hours late, and while waiting for it we saw zilch traffic in either direction. But as far as the location itself, you can park free with your front bumper on the boundary of the ROW, and the neighborhood seemed just fine, small town residential with a touch of too-close-to-the-tracks shabby.

I would love to go somewhere where there's a railfan park/viewing area, though. Even though I don't trespass (any more), I hate looking over my shoulder all the time.

[Saturnalia]

I've milked a reliable 50 out of Porter for the last several years in just 12 hours.