Minneapolis Jct. (Nickel Plate)

The Cedar Lake Trail — a paved bike and pedestrian path — runs parallel to BNSF's Wayzata Subdivision for roughly a mile through the Bryn Mawr and Kenwood neighborhoods, providing legal, public access at track level without the need to cross fences or private property. Trains on the Wayzata Sub pass at moderate speeds through a gently curving corridor that allows you to see approaching movements from a reasonable distance. The trail is wide enough to set up a tripod without blocking other users, and there are several pull-off areas along the way. A railroad scanner tuned to BNSF frequencies helps track approaching movements, since freight traffic runs on no fixed public schedule. The nearby Cedar Lake Junction, where the Twin Cities & Western Railroad joins the BNSF main, adds variety — TC&W operates about 38 trains per week through the Kenilworth Corridor, so you may catch shortline power alongside BNSF GE and EMD units. Waits between trains can stretch to an hour or more during quiet periods, so bring a folding chair and patience.

The rail corridor here follows a natural depression through Minneapolis's western neighborhoods, bordered by mature trees — cottonwoods, elms, and sumac — that create a surprising sense of seclusion despite the proximity to Interstate 394 just to the north. Cedar Lake sits a few hundred yards to the south, and on calm days you can hear water birds between train passes. The trail itself is well-maintained asphalt, popular with joggers and cyclists year-round. In autumn the corridor becomes a tunnel of yellow and crimson foliage framing passing trains, while winter brings opportunities for dramatic snow-dusted freight shots. The Minneapolis downtown skyline rises less than two miles to the east, providing an urban backdrop that distinguishes photos taken here from more rural locations. Bassett Creek flows beneath the tracks in this area via a concrete bridge dating to 1914, one of the older railroad structures still in active service in Minneapolis.

BNSF Railway owns and dispatches the Wayzata Subdivision, a 93-mile line running from Willmar to Minneapolis that historically traces back to James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway. West of Target Field station, the Wayzata Sub typically sees 4-6 BNSF freight movements per day, primarily manifest trains, grain hoppers, and ethanol tank car consists. Occasional intermodal and crude oil trains also use the line. The Twin Cities & Western Railroad (TC&W), Minnesota's largest shortline, operates approximately 38 trains per week through the Kenilworth Corridor to Cedar Lake Junction, where TC&W trains join the BNSF right-of-way to reach interchange points. TC&W traffic is predominantly grain and general merchandise originating from western Minnesota and South Dakota. Total combined train movements at this location average 10-12 per day. Note: the Northstar commuter rail service, which formerly operated on BNSF tracks through Minneapolis, was terminated in January 2026 and replaced by bus service.

The Cedar Lake Trail offers several strong photography positions along its length. For shots with the Minneapolis skyline as backdrop, position yourself along the trail east of Cedar Lake Road looking northeast — afternoon sun backlights westbound trains and illuminates the downtown towers behind them. The Cedar Lake Road bridge (a 1941-era structure scheduled for replacement around 2027) provides an elevated angle looking down the corridor in both directions. Morning light favors eastbound trains from positions along the trail west of the bridge. A wide-angle lens (24-35mm) captures the full skyline context with passing trains, while a telephoto (200-300mm) compresses BNSF locomotives against the urban backdrop. The gently curving alignment means you can often photograph both the head and tail of shorter trains in a single frame. In autumn, the tree canopy along the corridor adds vivid color framing.

The rail corridor here dates to the pioneering days of Minnesota railroading. The Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad, chartered in the 1860s, laid the earliest tracks through this area. In 1889, James J. Hill reorganized the bankrupt SP&P into the Great Northern Railway, which built the line into a major transcontinental route connecting St. Paul to Seattle via the northern tier states. The Great Northern maintained significant rail yards at Cedar Lake, which served the nearby milling district — once the flour milling capital of the world. In 1970, Great Northern merged with Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern. A further merger in 1996 with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway created today's BNSF Railway. In 1998, TC&W freight was rerouted from the former 29th Street (Midtown) Corridor to the Kenilworth Corridor as part of the Hiawatha project, establishing Cedar Lake Junction as the connection point to BNSF's main line. The area's railroad heritage remains visible in the form of old rail yard remnants along the Cedar Lake Trail.

What makes this spot stand out among Twin Cities railfan locations is the combination of easy public access, scenic corridor, and skyline backdrop — all in one place. The Cedar Lake Trail is a designated public multi-use path, so there are no trespass concerns. The junction of TC&W and BNSF means you can see both Class I and shortline power. The downtown Minneapolis skyline, visible from many points along the trail, provides a distinctive urban context that most freight corridor spots lack. While train frequency is modest compared to high-traffic mainlines, the variety of consists — grain, ethanol, manifest, and occasional intermodal — keeps things interesting. The corridor is also part of a broader trail network (connecting to the Kenilworth Trail and the Chain of Lakes paths), so railfanning can easily be combined with a cycling or walking outing.