Finally things are starting to settle out and I’m starting to be able to get out in the morning to catch a little train action along the Thames River. Thursday, I not only caught Providence & Worcester train NR-2, but I also added Amtrak trains 190 and 171 and a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine, and her usual escort ships, heading back to the sub base. And on top of that, it was a glorious sunny, but cold, morning.
I ended up getting out of the office at the usual time, and began my trip north, hoping I could catch NR-2 at my usual haunt – Mill Cove in Ledyard. As I passed by the army/navy store on Thames Street, I began picking up chatter on the P&W frequency – it sounded like NR-2 was in Fairview already. Well, that nixed the Mill Cove idea. A quick run up Fairview Ave confirmed that – NR-2 was sitting just north of the signal at the Groton wye. So it was back south to catch them crossing the Thames.
Just as I was turning around to head back south, the ship to shore frequency locked in – the Thames River drawbridge tender was trying to contact the Navy pilot. That only meant one thing – a sub was in the area. But which direction were they going. Since I was close by, I stopped at the parking lot just south of the drawbridge. As I looked to the south, I got my answer – a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine was heading north, with a pair of Coast Guard cutters, and the tugboat John P. Wronowski.
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With the flotilla heading north, I knew that NR-2 would be staying put since the bridge was in the process of opening, so I could concentrate on the boats. Next up was a trio of shots of the boat heading towards me, including a black & white as the sub passed in front of Fort Trumbull.
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Then some shots of the pair of boats bringing up the rear – the Wronowski and the US Coast Guard cutter Hammerhead.
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As the sub passed in front of me, I got a shot of her passing the State Pier
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Then a closeup of the sail, as the Old Glory proudly waves in the wind
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And a shot of the Hammerhead passing the pier
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Not long after that, the sub went through the open drawbridge
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Next up was another shot of the Hammerhead
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And a closeup of two of the Hammerhead’s crew manning the .50 caliber machine guns on the bow
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Then she slipped through the open drawbridge
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Once the cutter was clear of the drawbridge, rail traffic would resume. I figured I’d switch positions to the next overlook, getting a wider view, and possibly getting some of the ships in the frame with a train or two.
Not long after getting there, Amtrak train 190 left the New London station, and began heading east. Looking at the bridge, something struck me – you can see part of the new drawbridge span being assembled to the north of the bridge. So the first shot of 190 was with that in the background
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Then a wider shot of the train crossing the drawbridge, with the nearly complete towers
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As they headed onto the Groton side of the river I was hoping NR-2 would then head west over the river. No such luck – Amtrak train 171 soon after tripped the Midway detector and made their way west to the Thames River.
By the time the train crossed the bridge, the submarine was safely inside the sub base, and the Coast Guard escorts began their trip back south. Maybe I could get a shot with the train and cutters in them.
The first shot is just that – 171 with the Hammerhead in the distance
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Then one with 171 and a smaller cutter
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A quick zoom back out gets the train crossing the moveable span
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And a shot of the tail end, with the cutter 41411 slowing down for the no wake zone near the bridges
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Once she was clear of the bridge, the captain opened up the throttle, and sped down the river towards the Coast Guard station near Fort Trumbull.
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OK, pretty cool stuff. Now would the Amtrak Shore Line dispatcher finally let NR-2 roll west? As 171 pulled into the New London station, the dispatcher called NR-2 and gave them the signal to head west. At the same time, the cutter Hammerhead was slowly approaching the bridge. Cool, maybe I’d get that with NR-2 in the frame!
Well, the timing was off – NR-2 took a little longer to get out on the corridor, so the cutter was slipping behind one of the bridge pilings holding up the Gold Star Bridge.
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Oh, well. Since the train was short, I got a shot of the entire train crossing the drawbridge
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Continuing south, I went to the spot across from the station and Shaw’s Cove to get a few shots of the train rolling by. To finish up the morning, I got a quartet of standard across the river shots of NR-2 rolling through New London.
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As the train rolled out of sight, I climbed back into the car and headed back to the office for the rest of the day.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
