To see a much more detailed map click here.  The map is big, so you may have to scroll around to see all of it.

    The east end of the funnel starts at Sandpoint Jct. where the MRL splits off towards Montana and the BNSF continues north towards Bonners Ferry, ID.   BNSF has trackage rights on the MRL so some trains will take that route depending on derailments and weather.  Also the type of train and its destination play a big roll.  Most of the coal trains take the MRL and some of the hopper trains.   The other regulars are the M-LAUPAS, H-KCKPAS, P-KCMTAC, V-KCKPTL, P-MEMSSE and their counterparts.   The town of Sandpoint, ID, itself is more of a tourist town with little shops and other stores.   The close proximity of Schweizer Mountain (which is the best skiing/snowboarding mountain in the area) probably adds to its popularity.   Just west of the MRL/BNSF Jct. is the Sandpoint Amtrak station.  If you are staying in Sandpoint, there is a Best Western located right next to the tracks at the Amtrak station.  Heading east (railroad west) out of town the tracks cross Lake Pend Oreille on a long, low bridge.  You can easily view trains on the bridge from either a park on the lake next to the Amtrak station or from a bike/walking trail next to US 95.

     To reach the tracks after they cross the lake, cross the lake on Hwy 95 and turn left on Bottlebay Road. When you cross the tracks take the next left, and you should find several great photographic locations of the bridge. This is East Algoma, and it is where the speed limit changes to 50 mph for freights as well as where the double track begins.  Heading back towards 95 turn on Lignite Rd just before you cross the tracks.  This road will mainly follow the tracks for the next 2 or 3 miles with lots of good photo spots.  Most spots favor westbounds although eastbounds can also be photographed from a few locations.  At milepost 8.5 there is a detector for both tracks, so a scanner is very helpful.  The regular scanner frequencies are listed on a separate page here.  The EOT and DPU frequencies are 452.950, 452.9375 and 457.9375.  It is also helpful to have these frequencies because they beep every couple minutes when a train is within two or three miles.  Most of the time eastbounds will be on track 1 (south/east track) and westbounds will use track 2 (north/west track).   You should come to Sagle road in a couple miles which located at Sagle, ID.  This is a good spot for westbounds, and not too bad for eastbounds either although the sun angle is not as good.  Take this road to the right across the tracks and back to Hwy 95.  Turn left onto 95 and left again onto Algoma Spur road.  This should take you to Algoma where you can access the tracks.  This location provides an excellent westbound shot later in the day.  It is also one of the better eastbound shots in the early morning.  After that head back to Hwy 95 and head south.