Kansas City, KS Hotspots
Fairfax Industrial District
Railfan Vantage Point:
Fairfax Trafficway - This general area is a good railfan location to view Union Pacific trains on the
ex-Missouri Pacific Falls City Sub to Omaha. Union Pacific funnels many empty coal trains up this route
to Hiawatha, KS and then west to Marysville, KS to join the main line to Nebraska and Wyoming.
In the past, the Chicago Great Western also used this line to get to Leavenworth and cross over the Missouri River
to wind its way to Iowa. Keep in mind that this is an industrial area with few public areas and you are either on
private property or railroad property.
Train
Frequency:
20-30 trains daily
What You'll
See:
Union Pacific: empty coal trains, stack trains, intermodal and manifest
trains.
Security
Concerns:
Not a big problem in the daytime. The area is not a good place to be after
dark.
GPS Address
2000 Fairfax Trafficway - Kansas City, KS
How to Get
There:
From I-70 - Exit from I-70 westbound at Exit 423. The exit will say "Fairfax". After you
exit you will be on Fairfax Trafficway and there are several areas to turn off the road to
observe.
Argentine
Argentine is home to the huge ex-Santa Fe classification yard. There are
various places along Kansas Avenue west of Armourdale to take in the action but nearly all are railroad
property and they don't want you in there. There is a bridge with a sidewalk on one side that crosses over
the entire yard south of Kansas Avenue at 42nd Street but parking is difficult to find on either
side.
Some good views are also available along Metropolitan Ave, which parallels the BNSF Transcon
main through Kansas City but there are not many places to park.
Drive east on Metropolitan from 7th St and you can reach the west end of the Flyover that goes through Santa Fe
Junction further to the east. This dead-ends into fenced railroad property. Good place to observe but not great for
photos because of the 6 ft high fence (bring a ladder maybe?) DO NOT go here at night, it's way too
isolated.
Armourdale
Railfan Vantage Point:
Kansas Avenue at Adams - This general area is a good location to view Union Pacific trains at ground
level and on the highline. Most coal trains take the highline while transfer jobs are on the lower level.
Most trains seen here will have passed through Santa Fe Junction. Keep in mind that this is an industrial
area with few public areas and you are either on private property or railroad
property.
Train
Frequency:
25-35 trains daily
What You'll
See:
Union Pacific: empty coal trains, stack trains, intermodal
and manifest trains and transfer runs from other railroads.
Security
Concerns:
Not a big problem in the daytime. The area is not a good place to be after
dark.
GPS Address
70 Kansas Ave - Kansas City, KS
How to Get
There:
From I-70 - Exit from I-70 westbound at Exit 422 on Hwy 169 South/7th St South. After
you exit you will cross over the Union Pacific yard and come down to Kansas Ave. Take a left on Kansas Ave and the
tracks will be less than a mile.
This location also a half mile west of Santa Fe Junction and Kemper Arena.
Just take Ceasar Chavez Avenue (same roadway as Kansas Avenue) over the Kansas River and you'll be
there.
Muncie, Edwardsville, Bonner
Springs
Westbound coal empty approaches Bonner Springs
Railfan Vantage Points:
Kansas Highway 32 parallels the Union Pacific double track mainline all the way to Bonner Springs - There
are many points along this 10 mile stretch to observe and photograph this ex-Rock Island/Union Pacific right of
way.
Train
Frequency:
30-40 trains daily
What You'll
See:
Union Pacific: Coal trains, stack trains, intermodal
and manifest trains. A local switcher is based at Bonner Springs to work the local industries.
Security
Concerns:
Not a big problem in the daytime.
GPS Address
4000 Kaw Dr - Kansas City, KS (east end of Kaw Drive near Exit 419)
How to Get
There:
From I-70 - Exit from I-70 westbound at Exit 419. After you exit go left at the light
and you will be on Kaw Drive which later turns into Kansas 32 and goes all the way to Bonner
Springs.
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