Think the title is kinda cryptic, eh? Pretty simple if you think about it – three trains and a submarine crossed by my lens on Tuesday morning. Oh, yeah, and for a change, the sun was shining!
So yesterday I got out a little late, and decided to head for possibly the USS Nautilus to shoot P&W NR2 under sunny skies. But of course, things changed as I was heading north. First off, NR2 was further south than I had anticipated, so the only truly viable spot would be at the south end of Fairview Yard in Groton.
As I pulled into the parking spot at the bottom of Fairview, something else was thrown into the mix – well two things actually. First was a Los Angeles class fast attack sub heading north in the Thames River (the 688 in the title – the USS Los Angeles was SSN 688, the first of the new class of boats, hence the name), and second the New England Central was switching across the river in New London yard (that’ll be the NERWNE – the job’s symbol). With NR2 blowing for the crossing at the USS Nautilus to the north, I was wondering if the timing would work out to get both NR2 and the sub in the same frame.
As NR2 approached, I got a few shots of the 688 heading north between me and the US Coast Guard Academy in New London.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113118] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113117] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113116] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113115]Then a quick shot of NERWNE across the river drilling the yard
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113114]Moments later, NR-2 came into view, putting on a little smoke show
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113113]Then the shot I kinda wanted (some brush got in the way, but hey, they’re in the same frame!)
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113112]And a wide shot of NR2 passing by
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113111]As I was walking back to the car, a bit of graffiti caught my eye on a few hoppers, so I shot one of them.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113110]Not too bad… With a bit of time left, I figured I’d head across the river and catch NR-2 passing through Shaw’s Cove, since it looked like they didn’t have any interchange traffic for the NECR. BTW, as a result of the derailment last week in South Windham, the interchange between the P&W and NECR has been moved back to New London temporarily.
When I got there, Amtrak train 171 was just leaving New London station, so I was able to get a few shots of them passing by me, and a catenary maintenance vehicle.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113109] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113108] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113107]With them clear, I went down closer to the bridge, and scouted out the angles.
While looking around, something caught my eye – a label welded to the web of the rail indicating when it was laid & by who.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113106]Not long after that, NR2 started across the river. I decided this time to do my shots closer to the bridge, mixing it up a bit. Once they came into view, I got a longer shot of them approaching the bridge.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113105]Then I got a vertical shot of them pulling across the bridge
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113104]Then a going away shot with an old concrete whistle post in the frame
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113103]And I used that post for a couple more frames, slowing down the shutter speed to show the GATX hoppers blurring past as NR2 picked up speed
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113102] [cpg_imagefixthumb:113101]Finally a shot of the entire train heading west towards New Haven, with the catenary maintenance vehicle in the frame.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:113100]With that in the bag, I called it a morning, and headed back across the Thames to the office for the rest of the day.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
