I actually was able to get out on time today for my walk, and good fortune would smile on me today – not only did I get a really nice walk in, but I caught New England Central train 608, Providence & Worcester train NR-2, Amtrak Acela train #2150 and a cargo freighter offloading lumber at the State Pier in New London. Not a bad morning at all.
The day started out with a nice long walk along the Thames River starting at Stoddard Cove in Ledyard. I got there just as a pair of boats were heading in opposite directions on the Thames River. One with a trio of older gentlemen was heading north for a little fishing, and another was speeding south for who knows what reason. Check out the 2nd one though – there’s a bird pacing along the far side of the boat (it’s a black bird).
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Once they passed, I headed north along the tracks until I was just south of the Preston/Ledyard line at Poquetanuck Cove. As I got there, NR-2 reported that they were south of MP14 or so (I can’t remember right now – it’s kind of late). OK, that gave me plenty of time to scout the angles. But an odd thing came across the radio – a marker chrip. Hmmm, that meant there was a train within a couple miles of me, and since it sure wasn’t NR-2 (I was near MP8 for reference) , that only meant that the NECR was in the picture. A couple minutes later a trio of headlights rounded the bend under the Mohegan Pequot bridge in the distance. Here comes NECR train 608!
So I shot a series of the train snaking along the Thames River.
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Then a couple shots the timing worked out nicely. I was able to get the fishermen into a couple frames with 608. The first one is my favorite of the two.
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As 608 faded off into the distance, something odd caught my eye on the P&W tracks. It was little footprints in the dew on the railhead. It looks like a raccoon is guilty of a rules violation!
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Just as I took the last shot, NR-2 began blowing for the crossing at the old Norwich Hospital just north of me in Preston. Then a short NR-2 made their appearance to the north
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And a pair of in-your-face shots. First up is the train still in Preston approaching the town line, midway down the bridge
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Yes, I was safely on the side – the beauty of a telephoto on a curve!
And finally the head end is in Ledyard
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Then it was a walk back to the car and a trip south. I did end up catching up with NR-2 in Groton at Fairview, but they had to wait for a pair of Acelas before they would be heading west to East Lyme. So I made a quick stop at the overlook on the Thames River south of the drawbridge. There was a cargo freighter, the Star Siranger, unloading lumber at the State Pier in New London, so of course I had to get a couple shots.
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Then the obligatory shot of the east tower and its progress to date
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Then Amtrak train 2150 was in the picture, so I got a shot of them heading across the drawbridge itself.
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Once the Acela was on the Groton side of the river, I was on my way back south to the office. Not a bad morning!
Thanks for looking!
Tom
