Rail Fan Park

Park Forest, Illinois

Pilgrimage spot for train buffs. One of America's two largest railroad intersections, a self-described "cloverleaf interchange for trains," completed in October 2011. Next to it is Rail Fan Park, featuring a 35-foot-high viewing mound where train-iacs can watch the average 30 trains that pass through each day. Long trains loop over themselves as they navigate the interchange, and a scanner on the platform allows visitors to listen in on the engineers.

The only other similar intersection is in the mountains of California, out of public view.

Rail Fan Park

Address:: North St., Park Forest, IL
Directions:: I-87 exit 340A. Drive east on US Hwy 30/211th St. for a little over two miles. Turn right (south) at the stoplight onto Main St. Drive a half-mile. Turn left at the Quick Mart onto Front St. Drive under the bridge, to the stop sign, and make a right onto Homan Ave. and drive one block. You'll see the observation mound ahead, on the right, next to the water tower and the caboose.

Nearby Offbeat Places

Cow With a Chef's Hat, Chicago Heights, IL - 3 mi.
Exhausted Paul Bunyan, University Park, IL - 3 mi.
King Tin Man, Oak Forest, IL - 8 mi.
In the region: Pencil Collection, Odd Dummies, Crown Point, IN - 18 mi.

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May 25, 2013