Well, as usual, I got out for my walk this morning and headed for the close-by Erickson Park in Ledyard. Unlike yesterday, I was able to catch Providence & Worcester train NR-2 heading south as I wrapped up my walk. The timing worked out so that I was able to get a nice brisk walk in before the train arrived in southwestern Ledyard.
As I was walking around, these guys caught my eye, so I had to get a shot of them plying through the calm water in Mill Cove
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3201]And not long after they paddled away, NR-2 was sounding for the crossings to the north at Dow Chemical. So I walked a bit further south, and got on my concrete perch where the cove passes under Military Highway. I grabbed a few shots of NR-2 rolling past me at track speed.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3217] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3216] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3215] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3214]Not bad, despite the somewhat overcast sky. So it was back to the car and back south. I finally caught back up with the train at Fairview just as they were contacting the Amtrak Shore Line dispatcher. The DS informed them that they’d be following Acela train #2159 west, and they were just west of Mystic. Cool, that only puts them a few minutes east of the Thames River bridge. So I headed for my spot to the south of the bridge to get a shot of the trains rolling across.
As I got into the parking lot, the familiar horns of the Acela came echoing across the water from New London. #2150 was heading through the New London station. So I grabbed a couple shots of them crossing the bridge.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3213] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3212]And not more than 20 seconds later, 2159 headed across the bridge
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3211]Once they cleared the block, NR-2 got the signal to head west. But before they hit the eastern approach to the bridge, a family of geese paddled by
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3210] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3209]And finally NR-2 rolled across the drawbridge
[cpg_imagefixthumb:3208] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3207] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3206][cpg_imagefixthumb:3205] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3204] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3203] [cpg_imagefixthumb:3202]As the train headed for the western shore of the Thames River, I headed back to the car, and headed back to the office for the balance of the day.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
