Reasons Why Thomas The Tank Engine Would Make A Better President Than Trump Or Clinton

Article  By Ian Cole

2016 has been a very depressing  and dissapointing year in terms of presidential  politics.
So much so that some people are often looking to write in presidential candidates  and throw away their vote on ridiculous  candidates like "deez nuts" "harambe the  gorilla" among others. This is largely  in part to the fact that Americans feel like neither Democratic Candidate  Hillary Clinton  nor Republican  Candidate Donald Trump are good fits for President of the United States. In fact these two are so bad that I was certain  Thomas The Tank Engine  would be better than them.  Here's  a list of reasons  why I feel he is more qualified than those two buffoons.

1. Has Donald or Hillary ever been a useful engine that rescued another train from danger? Didn't  think so.

2. Thomas can run right over almost  any problem  or obstacle without issue.. Unlike the two dingleberrys that are taking up all of the spotlight.

3. Thomas couldn't  possibly  cause  as much confusion and delay as Trump or Clinton would.

4. Thomas has better memes and song remixes  than Trump or Clinton ever will.

5. Do children love Clinton  or Trump? Unlike Thomas I highly  doubt it.

6. Have you ever heard of A Day Out With Donald or A Day  Out With Hillary? Didn't  think so... but Thomas has his own day out on railroads  everywhere.

7. Has Thomas ever had a major scandal? Didn't  think so.

8. Thomas has never committed  sexual assault.

9. Thomas  doesn't  kill people unless  it was an accident, chances are the person  who was killed was standing  in the tracks and putting themselves  in danger anyways.

10. Thomas  has never threatened to declare  war on anyone..

These all make Thomas  a better candidate  than either of the two dissapointments.  I'm  sure Thomas  could cause our nation  to have minimum  confusion  and delay, and will make America really  useful  again..

The Benefits Of Using Drones While Railfanning

Drones have become immensely  popular  for doing video and photography. They provide views  that one would not be able to get on the ground. Drones are an excellent  tool but they also must be used responsibly, and they also must be registered  on the FAA website. But despite  the hassle and regulations it is worthwhile  to look into getting  one especially  if you are a railfan. There are many reasons to get one and drones can help railfans do tasks that only a drone is capable of.  RPJ has compiled a list of reasons  for railfans to get a drone.

1.  Drones  can fly above train yards: Railroad management  is normally  hostile  to railfans that are in the ground on foot. Railfans are always looking for specific engines and sometimes the only place you can see them by going through a train yard. Unfortunately this is Illegal to do on foot and can result in trespassing charges. However,   a drone can solve this problem as long as it is no lower than 80 feet in the air. So if you have a hard time with getting  a particular  locomotive  and you know it's  in that yard it's  possible  to get it now thanks to drones.

2. They can prevent  a meet blocking  a desired train. One of the biggest  pains a railfan  can run into while railfanning is being blocked  by another train. Just ask the railfans who got blocked  from seeing Nickel Plate Road 765 at Berea and Horseshoe Curve! A drone could  have easily  solved this problem  for any railfan who had to deal with this dilemna by being above the problem.

3. Another thing they can do is remove the annoyance of having  objects or people in the way of your shot:
Let's  face it, most of us have had to deal with the jackass lady with the ipad before that cuts in front of your  shot to get her lousy photo. With a drone you don't  have to really deal with that as you are above everything. It also prevents conflict breaking out thanks to ones ignorance.

4. Also, drones  can take video and have still photos taken out of it: This is very useful  for flying drones above areas with lots of trains such as LTEX, NREX, or museums that have too much equipment  to record  in one  shot.

5. Drones can make shots much more interesting  for your audiences. Let's  face it, I run a page called Worldwide  Railfan Productions  as well and our viewers are always  looking  for something  new and different  than what the competition  puts out. If they get bored because  our  material  is getting  stale we try to do stuff differently  and it tends to gather their interest back into railfanning. Drones  can be an excellent  source of changing it up by providing  unique  views that you can't  normally  get.

Have any other reasons using  a drone is beneficial  for railfanning?  Comment them below!

Gone But Not Forgotten: New York's Southern Tier

A Chautauqua County native knows of Jamestown, NY as a capital for comedy. Lucille Ball was born in nearby Celeron. But, in its early years, Jamestown was an industrial catalyst. It was once the furniture capital of the world.

You drive on Route 60 and roll down under a bridge. “Erie Railroad” is inscribed on the center of a concrete bridge - with New York and Chicago on the bridge as well.

The Erie Railroad had passed through Jamestown as early as 1909. Passenger and freight trains passed through on the daily.

In October 1960, the Erie merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western to form the Erie-Lackawanna. The EL eventually merged into Conrail in 1976.

Meanwhile, the Jamestown, Westfield, and Northwestern served as an electric interurban railroad between the largest city in Chautauqua County and Westfield, a point on the former Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Water Level Route of the New York Central. The line went north from Jamestown and went all the way to Westfield, with stops in small communities such as Bemus Point and present-day county seat Mayville, as a connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad. The JW&NW began operations in 1914 and ran passenger service until 1947, and eventually shut down completely in 1950. The track no longer exists, but the roadbed and several bridges still operate on bicycle paths.

As for the city, the only relic of the Erie-Lackawanna that’s left is the former EL station, known as the Jamestown Gateway Station. The final passenger train passed in January 1970, the Lake Cities route between Jersey City, NJ and Chicago, IL.

Today the station stands and will be used partially by the new National Comedy Center, which is set to be a major tourist attraction in Jamestown.

As for the railroad, today the track between Meadville and Olean, rather, Hornell, still stands. It serves as the mainline of the Western New York & Pennsylvania, who is controlled by the Livonia, Avon, and Lakeville Railroad (LAL, LA&L). Up until the early 2010s, the line served daily Norfolk Southern coal trains. Nowadays, the line serves two WNYP trains a week - both on Thursday. One goes from Olean to Meadville, the other is Meadville to Olean. The WNYP has an impressive collection of ALCO Century Series units, which are still getting it done today.

You can view my video shot in December 2015 of the WNYP here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY02BSiepns

Today, Jamestown’s industry is a mere shell of its former self. With retail skyrocketing, it’s not likely industry will make a huge comeback in Chautauqua County. One can only hope that one day, maybe an industry will pop up that will develop Jamestown back into the industrial city it once was.

Shortline Spotlight: The Youngstown and Southeastern Railway

Article By Ian Cole

Not a lot of shortline  railroads can say they started out as an interurban route. But that is actually the case of the Youngstown  and Southeastern, whose predecessor  the Youngstown  and Southern was created in 1903 and ran interurban  passenger service from 1907 to 1948. The railroad ran from the steel giant Youngstown, Ohio  to the small town of Darlington, Pennsylvania.

The Y & S also had two other branch lines, one that went to the village of Leetonia, Ohio, and the other to the town of Smith's  Ferry, Ohio and both lines  would become abandoned later on. The railroad exchanged owners a handful of times, at one point being jointly owned by the Pittsburgh  and Lake Erie  Railroad and the Pennsylvania  Railroad.
In 1996 the local owner at the time illegally  closed the line at the time and repairs were blocked by the company. The line then went on to become the Central Columbiana and Pennsylvania  Railroad, however that operation  would only last two years. Ohio Central went on to operate  the line until 2006 when the modern day Youngstown  and Southeastern  Railroad  Company was founded.

That railroad  became a hauler of garbage to the Negley, Ohio landfill, however operations to the landfill would only happen for a few years as the landfill and railroad  never came to terms in 2012. However the railroad continues  to haul steel pipes and fracking sand down to Signal, Ohio and Darlington, Pennsylvania.

The railroad also has a modest locomotive  shop down in Negley, Ohio. However  beware railfans, security  is tough so it's  virtually  impossible  to get in unless you know somebody. The railroad  also boasts Two depots that are still standing. One in Columbiana, Ohio that serves as an office, and the other in North  Lima, Ohio where the engines are normally  parked. The line also has a 10 mile per hour speed restriction  so it is fairly easy and convenient  to do chases of.  Locomotive  power that the railroad  uses consists  of all EMD power including GP 18s GP 10s and GP 9s. The railroad also has a nice variety  of paint schemes including one based on the Paducah  and Louisville railroad.

If you are ever in the Youngstown  area this is a great railroad to take some time to railfan. They typically  run every other day to the south of North  Lima and vice versa to the north on days that they are not operating south of North Lima.
One final  note for horn fans. A couple of the engines use RS5T and S5T  horns.

Ask Me Anything: Railroad Edition

How I got into trains? I can credit this to four things My great grand parents, Connellsville, Pennsylvania, watching conrail trains in Salem,  Ohio, and Youngstown  Sheet and Tube no. 301 aka the canfield fair train.

Favorite  Railroads? I'd  definitely  say four for sure Baltimore  and Ohio, Chessie System, Conrail, and Ferromex.

Favorite  paint scheme on a locomotive? I love the 8114 heritage  unit because  of the paint, however  that is ironically  one of four  heritage  units i have yet to catch.

Favorite  Place To Watch Trains? It's  hard to say one place as I have been to many. My top three would have to be North  East, Pennsylvania Rochester, New York and probably  Connellsville, Pennsylvania.

Worst day of railfanning  ever? A lot of my friends  know that I am not a fan of the Norfolk  Southern  Dash 9 widecab whatsoever, in fact some days I downright  hate the stupid things. Anyways  one day i was out railfanning  at Salem, Ohio and I had gotten 8 trains in 2 hours which seems pretty good right? Well, there was a problem  with that. EVERY  ENGINE  on EVERY  TRAIN was a Dash 9!!! No variety  whatsoever! I would take a day where i only got one train over this..

Best memory while railfanning? Probably  the weekend where I got The Wabash  heritage  unit, The central of georgia, Bessemer  and lake erie, Illinois  central, a millitary train, and probably  a ton of epicness I'm  forgetting  in those two days...  Berea Railthon 2013 was amazing  too.

Encounters  with police while railfanning?
Yeah every now and then there is an instance  where someone  will think I am suspicious and call me in. Typically  nothing  bad has happened  because  of this, never got a fine or asked to leave by them, in fact one of Salems police  officers will occasionally  watch trains with me and has gave me some train dvds for Christmas  before. So there is definitely no hard feelings by me or them.

Weirdest thing that has happened  to me while railfanning? I witnessed  a mama bear and two cubs cross the tracks in North Springfield, Pennsylvania  this year. Does that count?

Have you ever been in the cab of a locomotive  before? Yes a handful, Ive been in the cab of  the south shore commuter  trains in chicago twice, two different  alco rs3 locomotives , a GE 60 tonner, a couple of Youngstown and Southeastern  locomotives and a bunch of ones that don't  run.

How long have you been photographing trains for? I've  been at it for four years, a decision  I ultimately  regret as I wish I  was born with  a camera in my hands. I missed  a ton of cool stuff growing up.

GE or EMD Trains? How about Alco or Lima instead!

Least favorite  thing about the railroads? Cab signals  no question  as beneficial  as they are for railroaders it was mostly the death of variety, other than mega mergers

Thing you miss the most while railfanning? I'm  actually  sad they don't  run roadrailers on the fort wayne line any more.. I used to hate the things when I was young, but then i learned my line was one of two that had them... glad I got what I did.

Your typical railfan squad? I normally  hang out with my good friends  Roger Chamberlain, Lee Kemmer, Sam Zitello, and Enoch Hamilton. Occasionally  I'll  do it with Ben Craft or Brian szemon, but I'm  typically  down with doing it with just about  anybody.

Pick your poison Dash 9s for the rest of your life or no trains the rest of your life?
Probably  no trains, I'm  sure I can find something  else to do.

Favorite  steam  locomotive? Nickel  Plate Road 765 would probably  be the one! Although  I wish B & O  had an EM1 still..

Funniest  memory  while railfanning?
Probably  when my friend Ben cussed out some trespassers in Rochester, Pennsylvania.

How many rail museums have you visited? 13 so far.

What hot spots have you visited? Chesterton, Berea, Fostoria, Altoona, Cresson, Rochester (Pennsylvania and New York), Elkhart, Conneaut, Alliance, Bellevue, Connellsville, North East, Erie, Toledo, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Willard

Favorite  short line? Youngstown  and Southeastern  for sure.

Favorite  rail museum? Either Mad River and NKP or Lake Shore  Railway Museum.

If you could go back to one decade to railfan and you got to take your camera with you  what decade would you choose? The 1950s you get literally  the best of everything then. 1990s would be a close second.

Favorite Railroader? Either my Great Grandfather  or Chris Ratini.

Sketchiest spot you railfanned at? Youngstown  or Philadelphia...

Advice  for younger railfans? Don't  wear the vest, please just don't wear it. You'll  thank yourself later.