Suburban Kansas Hotspots
Lenexa
Railfan Vantage Point:
Santa Fe Trail Drive - This is the main street through Old Town Lenexa. Railfan-friendly public
parking is available across the street from the tracks in between Noland Rd and Pflumm Rd. This is a double track
main line that once was the Katy line to Texas and the Frisco line to Oklahoma and Springfield, MO. It is now
shared by Union Pacific and BNSF.
Train Frequency:
20-35 trains
daily
What You'll See:
Union Pacific: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal and manifest trains.
BNSF: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal
and manifest trains.
Security Concerns:
Not a problem in
the daytime. The area is well lighted after dark. There are a few parking areas along Walnut Street on the east
side of the tracks that belong to local businesses. I would not suggest parking there without
permission.
GPS Address
13512 W 95th St - Lenexa, KS
How to Get There:
From I-35 - Exit on
95th st (Exit 224) and go west on 95th St to Pflumm Road (less than a mile). Turn right and proceed to the tracks.
Santa Fe Trail Drive is just over the tracks, turn right to parking.
Olathe
Northbound empty coal train on new flyover at Ridgeview Rd. in
Olathe
Railfan
Vantage Point 1:
Frisco Lake Park- This area is near the south end of the recently-completed flyover built to relieve
congestion at several busy grade crossings in Olathe. The lake has a walking path all the way around it and has
many good photo spots available. This is a double track main line that once was the Katy line to Texas and the
Frisco line to Oklahoma and Springfield, MO and is the same trackage that runs through
Lenexa.
There is additional trackage that connects the TransCon line from downtown Olathe (below) to
this ex-Frisco/Katy line. BNSF will sometimes route southbound trains from the TransCon down these tracks to
relieve congestion on the Frisco/Katy route.
Train Frequency:
20-35 trains
daily
What You'll See:
Union Pacific: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal and manifest trains.
BNSF: coal trains, stack trains, intermodal
and manifest trains.
Security Concerns:
Not a problem in the
daytime. The area is not well lighted after dark.
GPS Address
1000 E Dennis Ave - Olathe, KS
How to Get There:
From I-35 - Old Hwy 56 Exit (Exit 217
southbound only) and turn right at Church Street (first right) and then turn right on Dennis Ave and go one
block to the entrance of the park. At the north end of the park is a small parking area also. It is accessed
by passing the park entrance to Sunset St. Take a left and go to Sheridan St. (at the 4-way stop) and turn
left.
Books about the Katy and Frisco (sorry
about the image quality)
  
Eastbound Manifest freight in downtown
Olathe
Railfan Vantage Point 2:
Downtown Olathe - The City of Olathe has
several public parking lots along the BNSF Transcon Line that runs through the downtown area of Olathe. One of the
best is the parking lot at East Santa Fe St. and Kansas Ave.
Train Frequency:
70-80 trains
daily
What You'll
See:
BNSF: stack trains, grain,
intermodal and manifest trains, only an occasional coal train
Security Concerns:
Not a problem in the
daytime. The area is not well lighted after dark.
GPS Address
200 W Santa Fe - Olathe, KS
How to Get There:
From I-35 - East Santa
Fe (Exit 218) and go west on East Santa Fe to N. Kansas Ave, turn right at Kansas and the parking lot will be on
your left.
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