safe places with friendly employees?

[mkt1992]

Any suggestions, other than right at the Durand station, where one can take photos of locos and facilities of the shortlines where it may be safe and one will not run into gestapo like employees?

I'm from the Chicago area and know about getting hassled about the post 9-11 B.S. and the rcops, rent-a-cops, rr police and RR employees that don't know the laws that photography is not against any kind of law, except when trespassing.

I just want to get some of the older locomotives on Midwest shortlines and was hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.

Michigan Shore, Marquette, Mid Michigan, GLC, H&E, etc. faclities locations, directions etc.

I'm asking the area experts for some assistance.

[~Z~]

Any suggestions, other than right at the Durand station, where one can take photos of locos and facilities of the shortlines where it may be safe and one will not run into gestapo like employees?

I'd assume basically any park, public street etc will let you take photos, as long as it's on public land. You'll run into employees of the railroad for every moving train that you get a photo of, as there's employees on that engine (except CSXT 8888)

[greeningep]

(except CSXT 8888)

haha

[trainjunkie47]

Yes, I will give you a great suggestion, and closer than you might think.

Go right across the river to Windsor. Check out the Essex Terminal.

The ETR runs every Monday through Saturday and occasionally on Sunday. They have three jobs, all of which end up at Ojibway Yard on Windsor's southwest side.

The crew is very fan friendly and so are the Windsor Police.

Check out this trip report.
viewtopic.php?t=8456&highlight=essex+terminal

Here is my original railfanning info report on the ETR.

viewtopic.php?t=8423&highlight=essex+terminal

I'm telling you guys, the ETR will not disappoint if you want to see a shortline in action.

[AARR]

There's a public park near Durand Station that you can watch the entire CMGN train arrive and depart from. There's also some public roads around and outside Durand where you can watch trains. But Durand station is the best place to see all the action and not miss anything.

[pfs]

There's a public park near Durand Station that you can watch the entire CMGN train arrive and depart from. There's also some public roads around and outside Durand where you can watch trains. But Durand station is the best place to see all the action and not miss anything.

The one by the old CN engine/cars/base of water tower...correct?

[Norm]

mkt 1992,

As long as you are not on railroad property, (the depot is as close as you can get to the diamond and not be trespassing) nobody's likely to bug you. Durand is pretty railfan friendly.

The depot, and some local roads are decent places to take pictures, and west of town, on Newberry Road, there is a bridge over the CN tracks that you can get some good shots from.

The crews from all three railroads the go through town are pretty friendly as long as you don't get where you can get hurt.

Durand is probably one of the safest communities in Michigan. Typical small town.

[AARR]

Don Simon wrote:
There's a public park near Durand Station that you can watch the entire CMGN train arrive and depart from. There's also some public roads around and outside Durand where you can watch trains. But Durand station is the best place to see all the action and not miss anything.


The one by the old CN engine/cars/base of water tower...correct?

yes, that's the one, pfs.

Durand is probably one of the safest communities in Michigan. Typical small town.

Well, except for the pediphile who was also a railfan and lurked around there for a few years until they were arrested for doing some bad things with their teenage daughters. He was very friendly with my then very young son. One of the locals warned me about him. So I asked him if what I heard was true, he confirmed it was, so I told him he could not come near my son anymore. Shortly after he was arrested for the crime against his daughters.

[sd70accsxt700]

Both the MAW and NOW, places can be shot from public streets. The MAW in Defiance, and the NOW in Tiffin, altough the NOW is more just two tracks to park the locos then a "loco area".

[Racer]

CSX crews in Plymouth are friendly and wave to me alot. The police don't give you any problems as long as your not on the ROW of the tracks.

[Stitch]

CSX crews in Plymouth are friendly and wave to me alot. The police don't give you any problems as long as your not on the ROW of the tracks.

Just keep an eye out for the CSX cop he's been hangin out in the area again......

[J T]

Any suggestions, other than right at the Durand station, where one can take photos of locos and facilities of the shortlines where it may be safe and one will not run into gestapo like employees?

The MMR in both GR and Muskegon have been quite friendly.