Finally, up to yesterday! I didn’t get a chance to head out at all today, so this is the newest update. With the weather moving in, there was a bit of sunshine in southeastern Connecticut. So I tried to take advantage of it and headed out at my usual time to try and catch Providence & Worcester train NR-2 on my walk. I did manage to get them under some decent skies – the clouds were just starting to move in, but there was still plenty of light to work with.
The day started on my commute into work. I noticed something different on the top of the new east tower of the Thames River drawbridge, which now is higher than the deck of the Gold Star Bridge, so it’s pretty easy to check out. It seems that the crews lifted the counterweight into position for the east tower the night before. So a quick detour down Thames Street was in order. I got a quick shot of the bridge & crane under some early morning light.
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The counterweight is the darker box in the frame of the tower. OK, pretty neat – but it’s time to hit the office.
Fast forward a few hours. I make my way north to Mill Cove in Ledyard. On the way NR-2 reports that they are south of MP12 and about 15 minutes from the sub base. As I finish up my walk, NR-2 again calls in that they’re south of MP5, just to my north. So a quick drive and I’m in position just as the train starts sounding for the Red Top crossing. Of course, a quartet of “usual” shots from here as the train heads onto the causeway
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And a trio of shots from the south end of the cove, of both the leading and trailing power
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From there I headed back down to the Thames River drawbridge for a couple more shots of the counterweight in the brighter sunlight. I hit the boat launch between the tracks and the Gold Star Bridge for this angle
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And one wider one of the bridge
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Then one with both the drawbridge and the twin Gold Star Bridge spans
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Just then I heard flange squealing behind me. NR-2 was headed down the west leg of the Groton wye, heading for Old Saybrook. I figured I didn’t have time to get to the “good” side of the bridge (the one that was sunlit), so I stayed put. Still with the fisheye mounted, I got a shot of NR-2 heading onto the bridge
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And a pair of shots of the trailing power
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As the train rolled towards New London, I got a couple closeup shots of the counterweight.
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And across the river I could see one of the pulleys that will be used for the span sitting patiently in the NECR yard.
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Not too bad of a morning. Not long after I got back to the office, the clouds started rolling in. I definitely got out for the best portion of the day.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
