A Trip to Durand

 I wanted to play around with the drone today and there wasn't much coming down the river, so  I needed another subject to photograph.  I was thinking about heading to Fostoria or Deshler but decided against that and then I figured I would head over to Durand.  With the train station there, I can get some nice background for my train shots.

So upon arriving, I check the train board that they have.  They have a computer monitor set up that shows the signals on the lines leading into Durand.  If you see red in a spot, there is train in that block.  Green says that the train has green signals.  After seeing it a couple times, you can kind of figure out the layout.  I didn't see much of either when I got there, so I decided to get some pictures of the station and stuff around it.

Getting a shot from above.  I'm learning that certain things don't work when you take the drone too high.

A view that I don't normally get with my regular camera.

This caboose is across the tracks from the station.  I think it was used for Operation Lifesaver which is the organization that educates people about train safety.  Their main slogan is, "See tracks, think train".  It is a pretty good mantra because even tracks you may think are abandoned may have a train when you least expect it.

I can get some views that I wouldn't normally get with my camera.  I wouldn't try a picture where I am standing on the track because I don't want people to say, "Well, he died doing what he liked...even if he was an idiot".  So this is the engineer's view of the signals.  I didn't realize how bright they were from this view.

A view of the station with the crossing. 

Another set of signals they have for the track to cross into the north-south tracks.

Another angle of the caboose.

Another shot of the station from high up.  I would have tried to get more of the layout but then I heard a train whistle.

So I set my drone up where I wanted to get pictures and I took a couple shots with my normal camera.  I kind of like how this one turned out.

I like this one even more.

And then I switched back to the drone.  I'll have to say this is my favorite train picture taken with the drone so far.  I've discovered I don't need to take it so high with trains.

I would have liked this more if it shot a fraction of a second sooner.

Some of the cars.

The end of the train.

I flew the drone over to get a closer picture of this sign.  I don't know why, but the sky looked pretty cool.

I took a gander at the board again and it was empty, so apparently I was only getting one train today.