Sunlight for photography at the Bluffs is good all day, except for early morning when the tall bluffs shade the tracks. As the sun moves around during the day I usually move from south to north. Afternoons are my favorite time of day to shoot, but the light favors westbound trains traveling north past the bluffs. In the early morning, the area just south of Soo's St. Paul Yard provides great light on a sunny day. This arrangement extends south about 14 miles to St. Croix Junction at Hastings, and is a scenic area for photographs.
Accommodations are good in the area.
Food and lodging is nearby and the summer temperatures in this part of the state are usually very comfortable, compared to other parts of the Midwest. We've visited St. Paul the last two years, and have not been bored or disappointed yet. Next issue we'll take a look at Burlington Northern's sprawling Northtown Yard and engine facility.