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!

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.