F.E.C. Train Watching Areas
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Updated 2009.11.06
Pick Your Poison
Train watching notes
FRS radio channel
F.E.C. radio channels
Trainwatching site list
Industrial area - Lauderdale yard
In the grass - 7th Street
Armchair railfan - Pirate Republic Shirttail Charlie's
Train Watching Notes
FRS Radios
More and more railfans are using inexpensive Family Radio Service walkie-talkies to keep in touch when they are not in earshot of each other. The most popular channel is ch. 4 with a tone sub-code (sub channel) of 5A or 156.7Hz, but each radio is different on sub-codes. The sub-code tone simply keeps you from hearing others on the same channel, it doesn't give you any privacy, despite what the manufacturer's literature might say.
F.E.C. Radio
F.E.C. uses two primary radio channels. 160.53 (ch.28) is used for everything along the road and in the yards. 160.77 (ch.44) is used only as the uplink to talk back to the dispatcher in half-duplex fashion.
F.E.C. Train Timetable
Pirate Republic Shirttail Charlie's
For those who like to watch trains from the comfort of a river-front bar, we recommend Pirate Republic (formerly Shirttail Charlie's) on the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This casual bar serves everything from lite beer to strong spirits as well as bar-type food such as burgers and fish.
It's not the easiest place to get to, but it's worth the effort. You always know when a train is coming because the dispatcher will initiate the 5 minute timer to bring down the drawbridge, which warns boats by sounding a “whoop whoop” horn. Five to ten minutes later a train pounds across the bridge while you sip on a cold libation protected from the rain and Sun.
Directions
From I-95, go east on Broward Blvd to SW 7 Ave. Go south over the drawbridge and turn left at your first chance onto SW 6 Street. Drive 1 block and turn left on SW 3 Ave. and go all the way to the end where you will see the parking lot on the right for Pirate Republic. The bar entrance is at the north end of the lot next to the boat storage company, or you can just walk through the marina's big gate to get in there.
Southside
There is plenty of space along the tracks between SW 5th and 7th Streets to watch trains. This area is immediately south of the draw bridge and home signals. If you're lucky you'll see a meet of trains 226 and 107 sometime around midnight. This is an impressive sight and sound. Best parking is on the east side of the tracks.
Directions
The site is at the bottom of the map for Pirate Republic, along SW 2nd Ave.
Fort Lauderdale Yard
Florida East Coast Railway's Fort Lauderdale yard is a small intermodal facility with storage tracks for mixed freight that goes to businesses from North Miami to Boca Raton. It is easy to view switching operations and through freight trains from the south end of the yard in the industrial area at SW 2nd Avenue and SW 33rd Street. Just keep clear of the tracks and you should do fine.
The majority of trains pass through here at night. The best viewing times are around 15:00 and later, when intermodal ramp job 970 begins building train 218. Things really get fired up after 23:00 until about 02:00, and then a train or two on and off until the Sun comes up.
At the yard, you might hear the defect detector at milepost 346 in Dania Beach. This is one indication that a northbound train approaches. The other is that they will usually call “hot rail at Lauderdale” to warn the ramp job of their approach.
Lester's Diner on State Road 84 at SW 2 Avenue is a popular hangout to get a bite to eat while waiting for trains. It has a pretty wide menu of American and Greek specialties and good food. The help is pretty frank with customers, which is part of the charm of the place, so don't be put off by it.
Directions
From I-95 exit east on State Road 84 (SW 24th St.). Before crossing the tracks, turn right onto SW 2nd Ave at Lester's Diner and go all the way down and wrap around to the left until you are looking at the tracks. Park at the edge of the street on the rock ballast, but keep in mind that those parked 18 wheelers might be moving in and out around your vehicle, so don't block them in.
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