Selkirk Yard — CSX

Safety: cautionyard-view

Selkirk, NY

CSX

Access & safety

Public access

Several public road overpasses above the CSX Selkirk Yard hump. Stay on the public side; the yard itself is private CSX property.

Safety notes

Yard is active 24/7 — never enter ballast or cross active tracks. Stay on public overpasses.

Parking

Pull-off on public road shoulders; no formal lot.

Best time of day

Morning for eastbound humping action.

Train frequency

Very heavy — Selkirk is CSX's main Northeast classification yard.

Nearby

Food + gas in Selkirk village (10 min east).

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Bringing a non-railfan?

For the parent, spouse, or friend along for the ride — restrooms, food, and what to do while your railfan watches trains.

Visiting Selkirk Yard is a great way to enjoy the hustle and bustle of trains while you find some time for yourself nearby.

While your railfan is captivated by the trains, you can take a short drive to Selkirk village for some food or gas. The village has a few local spots where you can grab a bite or a drink. Enjoy a leisurely stroll around the area if the weather is nice.

Basics: Restrooms may not be available on-site, but you can find food options in Selkirk village, about 10 minutes away.
With kids: The area is accessible, but be mindful of the active yard. There isn't much space for kids to run around, so keep them close and engaged while you wait.
Bring: water, sunscreen, snacks
Time budget: Plan on 90 minutes — your railfan will want to catch plenty of train action.

Safety: Make sure to keep your kid at least 25 feet back from any track and stay on the public overpasses.

AI-generated · AI-generated, may be incomplete; verify hours/access before driving

Plan your visit

Hotels and rail experiences nearby. Links earn us a small referral — we only surface partners we'd use ourselves.

Rail tours and experiences

Our curated picks on Viator — museums, heritage rides, scenic rail trips, depot tours.

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Gear up

The starter kit serious railfans wish they'd bought day one. Each link earns us a small Amazon Associates referral — we only list gear we'd actually carry.

Earpiece for handheld scanner

Scanner audio is unlistenable next to a passing freight without an earpiece. Standard 3.5mm right-angle plug fits the Uniden + Baofeng. Adds zero bulk to your kit. ($10-$15)

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Rite in the Rain No. 311 field notebook

Weatherproof pages that take pen ink in rain or sweat. Log road numbers, consist notes, observed times — you'll want them in your logbook later. The No. 311 is the original yellow tagboard model — the most popular field notebook in history; the same one surveyors and biologists carry. ($10-$15)

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Wide-brim sun hat

Florida + Texas + Arizona + Southern California railfanning is unforgiving at noon. UPF 50 wide-brim with a chin strap so it doesn't blow off in the train slipstream. ($15-$30)

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Recent sightings here (last 24 hours)

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