Getting closer…now we’re up to what I shot last week! Providence & Worcester train NR-2 shifted their schedule recently. They’re now coming into Groton around 8:30AM, which actually makes it easier for me to get out and catch them a bit more often than I have been. So last week, Nick Palazini contacted me about possibly meeting up to catch NR-2 in Ledyard. With the way things looked, I could make it out. So he gave me a call when NR-2 hit the detector at Jewett City. About 15 minutes later, I headed out to meet up with Nick at Mill Cove.
As I pulled down to the bottom of Long Cove Road, I saw Nick and another person standing at the south end of the cove. After I parked, Nick introduced me to Josh Oparowski, another photographer who was tagging along with him. We shot the shit for a little bit while waiting for NR-2 to head our way. After a little bit, we heard horns to the north as NR-2 blew for the crossings at Dow Chemical near milepost 5. So we moved into position.
While getting set up, a tug with a barge of junk headed north in the Thames, so of course I had to get a couple shots of it.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7718] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7717]Too bad they weren’t a couple minutes later – would have made a nice shot with NR-2 crossing in front of it…
And like I usually do when I’m out with other photogs, I got a shot of Nick & Josh taking up their position.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7716]A few moments later, NR-2 sounded for the crossing at Red Top and rolled into view
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7715]Then a wider shot with the Harvard Boat House in the frame
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7714]And I noticed some unusual loads in the middle of the train.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7713]Looks like some precast concrete tanks.
Then a couple shots of the power heading over the inlet to Mill Cove, as a fisherman fishes from the south abutment
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7712] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7711]From there it was off to the parking lot south of the Thames River drawbridge to hopefully catch NR-2 crossing the river. Looking at my watch, I should have enough time to catch them before having to get back to the office.
While waiting there, a pair of Acelas passed over the Thames – one in each direction.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7710] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7709] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7708]And while we were waiting, Josh got a shot across the river.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7707]Just then, the horn on the drawbridge sounded indicating an opening. Well, it looks like I won’t be catching NR-2 over the bridge after all. A couple seconds after opening up for river traffic, we saw that the US Coast Guard cutter Sailfish was the ship that requested the opening. So I got a few shots of her heading under the bridge and past us.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7706] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7705] [cpg_imagefixthumb:7704]And I had to call it a morning at that point. Of course, just as I was passing by Electric Boat to the south, NR-2 was cleared to head onto the Shore Line. Oh, well, can’t win ’em all…
Thanks for looking!
Tom
