Pontiac, MI yard

[Rick M]

I drove by the Pontiac Yard on Sunday (Pershing and Durant)street and saw several GT and CN engines. As with any area like this I proceed with caution but can you drive back and get pictures?? Is security at all flexible there? I am new to the train hobby and have checked out a few areas but am curious to Pontaic as I live close by. My friend and I drove back at the yard at Walbridge, OH and no one bothered us, then again we didn't stay long. The same goes for the Rouge CSX yard I was able to get some cool shots. I can now see how you train buffs like these yards, it's easy to get lured in. I am kicking myself now as I waited in the truck while my friend took pictures of the SOO lines at Chicago yard back in 2000.

[patrick]

Rick, it goes without saying that as long as your on public property, you can take all the pics you want. Whatever you do donot enter railyard without permission for a railroad supervisor. the CN/GTW are not railfan friendly if you go into their yard. If you can get pics from a public place, you are just fine, if you enter their yard, plan on spending the night in jail. Railyards are great for pictures, but they are also very dangerous places and often not located in the best neighborhoods. Use caution and and watch your suroundings when your taking pics. Common sense always will prevail.

[sd70accsxt700]

Please refrain from from entering Walbridge yard,(or any yard for that mater of fact, unless you have permisson) so far we have a fairley good rap down here and the cops leave us alone, they may ask what you are dooing but other then that they leave you alone. But if people start driving into the yard, that will change quickly. Also as I work out of Walbridge, there are people in the yard, who do call and report people in the yard, and there is also now a camera, that serves for as a security camera and for other perpouses, and it sits in front of the yardmaster, so he can see what is going on. It has one heck of a zoom on it (they can see all the way down to the hump form Union St.) and it rotates 180 degrees. As long as you stay out of the yard you will be ok. There are plenty of driveways you can just pull into so you can clear the road, and snap a few quick shots, with out any troble, just pull in to clear the road and no farther, and no usualy says anything.