Catching a Train With the Wrong Lens

The spot that I really like is in front of a rail yard.  While I was taking pictures of the planes, this train was at the other end of the yard.

Then it started to move.  Unfortunately, I had my big lens on.

A Stop in Durand

My mom and I went up to Birch Run to meet her friend at the Birch Run Deli.  If you've never eaten there, you have to try it, it was pretty good.  Anyway, I decided to stop at Durand on the way home.

 The first train I saw was this Indiana Southern engine.  The Indiana Southern Railroad normally operates from Indianapolis to Evansville but this particular engine was here.

 In 2000, it was acquired by RailAmerica which was in turn acquired by Genesee and Wyoming in 2012.

 This train was pulling out of the yard but I think it was just a repositioning move.

 I kind of liked the orange engine against the snow.

 The water tower.

 A clock.

 It was soon followed by a CN train from the west.  I'm not actually sure where it was heading.

 But it was kind of cool to catch it.  Especially since it was a pretty nice day today.

 The train passes under the signal bridge.

 I kind of like the engine looming over me but I was behind the fence.

And it continues heading east.

A Quick Stop in Durand

So after the airport we headed up to Milford and then we headed up to Durand.  It was around time to catch the train that drops off cars at the yard.

 I think it was hotter up in Durand and it wasn't feeling particularly comfortable for me.  But I had pictures to take.

 I like trying to get the signal lights in the picture.

 I think this is one of the special CN units.  I kind of liked the artwork on the side.  It says "L'aventure se poursuit" which means "The adventure continues".

 Normally the train pulls down the main line and then backs into the yard.  This time it did it a different way.  I suspect that they had the cars needed at the yard at the back of the train.

 I kind of liked this graffiti.   I think it is supposed to be a scene from Back to the Future.

 Save the whales.

 One of the workers on the train.

 Looking down the depot.

 And this is how close I was to the train even though I was behind the fence.

Looking the other way.

A Stop In Durand

I headed up to Durand today.  I was hoping to catch some trains.  It was kind of a cold day but the sun was out for part of it.  As I was waiting, I decided to wander around the tiny museum that they have in the station.  There isn't much to see but it is kind of interesting.

 These are some of the tools they used to use in railroad maintenance.

 Grand Trunk 6319 was a steam engine that was the last one to run a regularly scheduled run in 1960.  It ended up going from Durand to Detroit.

 I think this is the bell from that engine.

 Part of a display showing the railroad during the war.

 A chalkboard that would have been used as the schedule.

The station clock.

A picture of the station itself.  I kind of liked the lighting in this shot.

After about an hour at the station, I was about ready to give up on seeing any trains.  It was starting to get dark and I was losing my light rapidly.    Shortly after that, I heard the train's horn.

It was kind of cool.

I heard that there was another train arriving, so I decided to go for another vantage point.

 It wasn't quite the picture I was hoping for, but still pretty cool.

A Stop in Durand

After the stop in Bath, I decided to make a stop in Durand since it was on the way home.  It has been a while since I've been there.

 The train station looks really nice but it wasn't the station that I was there for.

 It took roughly an hour for the first train to appear.  I really didn't want to spend that long there but I didn't want to leave empty handed either.

 Apparently this is a daily train that comes from Battle Creek, drops off its main load and then takes a few cars to the Durand yard, goes back to the main load and then continues down to Pontiac.

 I was thinking about staying around for the whole thing but I decided to just watch it approach and then go into the yard.

 As it was foggy earlier, I was actually hoping to get some shots in the fog but the sun came out.

 Which I guess was fine.

I kind of like the shot with the station.

 This is a caboose that is parked across the tracks.  I liked the way the sun was hitting it.

 Guiding the train back into the yard.  I think it's cool when I can get crew in my shots.

 A shot of the fuller train.

 A shot of the engine pair.

 One of the engines.

 The main engine.

 The light hitting them just right.

And my last shot as it pulls back into the yard.  After dropping off the cars, it would have pulled out and then reconnected and then went on its way.

A Day Trainwatching

I haven't gone trainwatching in a while.  Well, trainwatching where I go to catch something other than the Wolverine or the yard in Jackson.  So I decided to head down to Deshler and Fostoria today.

 Since I was leaving at about the same time, I decided to wait around for the westbound Wolverine to Chicago.  I know I have several pictures of it, but I can't pass up the opportunity.

 Another shot of the Wolverine.

 This bridge is in Grand Rapids and is used by the Toledo and Lake Erie Railroad.

 An old Chessie System caboose.

 This is a switcher of some sort.

 An old steam engine that belonged to Detroit Edison at one time.

 I saw this schoolhouse (or church) on the way to Deshler.

 A detail of one of the windows.

 I've never seen an engine belonging to this company before but I have seen several cars that belong to it.  The Kansas City Southern railroad was formed in 1887 by Arthur Edward Stillwell.  It began operations in Kansas City and expanded south towards Mexico.  It is the smallest and third oldest Class I railroad in North America still in operation.  It mostly operates in Kansas, Missouri and points south but like other railroads, it makes forays into other areas.

 I wanted to try to catch the Kansas City Southern engine in Fostoria but as I was leaving Deshler, I saw this one heading west.  Just a CSX engine pulling a bunch of coal.

 One other shot of that one.

 The Infinity Engine...or something like that.

 Another Norfolk-Southern engine heading west.  This was carrying a mixed load.

 Another shot of that engine.

 This particular engine was carrying a bunch of intermodal stuff.

 The Kansas City engine as it passes Fostoria.

 A CSX engine heading south, but then I think it got on the curve and headed west.

 Well, not one engine but five.

As I was heading north on I-75 to head back home, I saw this guy off to the side.  I got off I-75 and caught up to it.  Since I don't see CN engines all the time, I figured I needed a picture of it.

It was actually pretty fun going out trainwatching.  I found a new place in Toledo that looks interesting and I think I will check it out next weekend.