Hastings, Minnesota on the River subdivision of the CPKC offers a nice spot for railfanning the MSP metro area. A fairly short ride down highway 61 from St Paul and the eastern suburbs of the greater MSP area, it offers two daily daylight Amtrak trains, the east bound Empire Builder (often referred to as the “late 8”) and the east and west bound Borealis service.

There are plenty of freights in and outbound on this line throughout the day. This spot is around 15 miles south of the CPKC yard in St Paul, Minnesota.

River traffic on the Mississippi river does occasionally hold trains at the lift bridge. This was the case when I was on the east bound Borealis in early June. Lately this has been rare as the river is quite high with local flooding causing hazardous conditions on the river.

Spotting is great at the riverfront park in Hastings. Choose close ups at the bridge or wider shots from the park.

Hastings is a great place to hang for a few hours. After a day of spotting, enjoy some brews at the many local pubs and breweries.