South Kansas City Hotspots
Dodson Industrial District
Railfan Vantage Point:
East 85th St
& Prospect Ave - On the southwest corner of this intersection there is a small parking lot next to the
tracks that marks the beginning of a walking trail that follows the route of the Kansas City Public Service Company . The KCPSC had a fleet of 184 PCC streetcars that ran
from this point to the Westport area in Midtown Kansas City. The bustling streetcar line ended service in
1957. Dodson was also the junction for the Frisco line that ran through Belton, Clinton and on to Springfield,
MO. This general area is a good location for railfans to view Union Pacific trains on the ex-Missouri Pacific
line to Little Rock.
Train Frequency:
15-25 trains
daily
What You'll See:
Union Pacific: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal and manifest trains.
Security Concerns:
Not a big problem in
the daytime. The area is somewhat of a high crime area and this trailhead is right next to a dive bar so I wouldn't
hang around after dark.
GPS Address
8500 Prospect - Kansas City, MO
Coordinates - N38 59.132' W94 33.514'
How to Get There:
From I-70 - Exit to
South I-435 (Exit 8A) and go south to East 87th St. Turn right after exiting. East 87th St winds around and comes
down to a stop sign at East 85th St. (1.5 miles) Make a left and stay on East 85th until you reach Prospect, take a
left into the parking lot on the southwest corner. There is a short driveway to the parking area for the
trailhead.
Grandview
Vantage Points:
3rd & Main Street - There is an abandoned parking lot near this intersection on
the southwest side of the tracks that is a good spot to observe the action. Most northbound trains stop at the
nearby signal before proceeding into Kansas City. A block east of the KCS tracks is the old Frisco line to
Springfield, MO via Clinton, MO.
Also, Show Me Model Railroad, is a fully-stocked hobby shop at 810 Main in Grandview. You'll pass it
on the way to 3rd and Main Street on the right-hand side of the street.
Train Frequency:
15-25 trains
daily
What you'll see:
Kansas
City Southern: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal, grain and manifest trains.
Security Concerns:
Not a problem in the
daytime. The area is not well lighted so I wouldn't hang around after dark, as the Grandview police
drive by quite often.
GPS Address
300 Main St - Grandview, MO
How to Get There:
From I-70 - Exit to
South I-435 (Exit 8A) and go south to the Main Street exit in Grandview. Exit and turn right (west) and go through
downtown Grandview to the tracks (0.9 mile)
Interesting books about Kansas City Southern -
  
Belton
While not a "hotspot" for train watching, Belton is home to the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad. The BG&KC is a short line passenger railroad
and demonstration museum that offers a 5 mile excursion along the old Frisco Line that ran from Kansas City to
Springfield, MO. They offer a 60 seat passenger car, open excursion car and even have a few seats available in
the caboose and locomotive.
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