RailRoadFan.com

You could certainly railfan with prime lenses. Generations of fans have already done it. It is a question if that is what you want to do. Probably one of Nikon’s best is the 24-70 f2.8. I have shot the 24-70 and have the older 28-70 f2.8. They are both great lenses. New the 24-70 runs almost $1900. ...

It broke some fiberglass on a front fender. I got a laugh about the "clean up crew" on the new report. Half expected to see Ron Burgundy.

If the sun had been behind the camera it would have been a nice classic locomotive photo (without the branches). But also like hundreds of other photos getting posted today and I don't mean that in a bad way. The harsh lighting steps outside the tried and true. It needs some post processing but it a...

The Harris and View crossovers are both hand-throw - I wonder if they will also be remoted. I'd be surprised but if they stay it could be a case of get it the project now or you never will. I could see them get pulled out too. Amtrak rarely uses them. Grand Elk only has rights on track two and then...

http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13013/thumb_US_Owosso_MI.jpg There is a lot there, even in the jpeg. I'd be surprised to see a point and shoot pull that lighting off. The light though really gives this a dramatic feel. I pulled the shadows and the contrast up just a touch and it help...

It does seem like Amtrak would fence some of these areas to restrict access, especially as speeds increase. Very tragic, especially since its really completely preventable. Here's what the spot looks like. http://goo.gl/maps/4u5a5 There are swamps to the south of the right of way which are more eff...

11th St is on the west edge of the Kalamazoo area and not a densely occupied area like a city center. KL Ave is a stones throw away literally. There is also a graded service road where one of the mains was removed. There were two safer places to walk in immediate proximity. I can't see the slightest...

B&H lists the basic 75-300 for less than $200. You'd probably have half that into just getting it looked at with some level of basic maintenance service and shipping. That's if they don't need any other parts. If you are sure the problem is in the lens, it's probably a good candidate for replacement.

Midwest Camera Repair in Wyandotte list themselves as a Canon authorized repair center. There is also United Camera Repair in Bensenville Il. I believe United is an ex-Kodak shop that works on most of the major brands but not as an authorized center. I had a body repaired a couple years ago and thes...

As Mr. Rogers would say "Can you say Enterprise Zone?" With a viable business plan you don't need that site to get an enterprise zone or tax breaks. A clear site for $6M is comparable to what vacant industrial land in a city setting sells for. At $11M, real manufacturers are looking at what is avai...

Some of the inbound materials by rail. Outbound I'd expect truck movements. If the finished product is to big to truck across town to the port it's to big to be economical to ship by sea. They say modular but I suspect pre-fabricated kits if they figure to ship any distance. Call me a Doubting Thoma...

PatAzo wrote:The Marquette is southbound at Newaygo 10:00AM with two of their own G&W repaints and Grand rapids & Eastern unit in the middle.

Why do some Michigan updates get moved into the Michigan Shoreline thread?

The Marquette is southbound at Newaygo 10:00AM with two of their own G&W repaints and Grand rapids & Eastern unit in the middle.

Super Chief wrote: Any body know the capacity of the siding between CP PARK and Cowling? These trains are taking up 3/4 to 7/8 of that siding of late.

The Conrail timetable lists it at 9780 feet.

Friday with 302 went dead at Park. The 303 crew went to Park to grab their power. By the time they got their train ready, waited for Amtrak and then stalled north of Plainwell, the 303 crew went dead at Wayland. Sunday the 303 crew took the rock train power at White Pigeon north to Park to pick up 3...

In the mid 80's Conrail was asked to look at taking over operations of the old GR&I up to Reed City and rehabilitating the track to service a potash mine. Chessie still served Reed City but they were expected to pull up their rails. The scheme was to use hot water to dissolve and extract the potash....

Standard Railfan wrote:The map depicted is a Sandborn Insurance Map.

That is what I was looking at, fire insurance map.

That looks like a plat map. They can have some interesting stuff (like there used to be an icing track at Botsford). The reference section of the Kalamazoo Public Library has a plat map book from the 20's.

How'd the SH branch get through town to the rail trail near Oshtemo? http://goo.gl/maps/iGhkS Right there. You can see where it diverged at Westnedge ave. You can actually now start riding the trail right at that point. At least if the South Haven branch is what I think it is. That is where the Sou...