I’m back down here in New Jersey again for work, so of course the camera kit came along with me. After I finished up at the office today, I headed for Bound Brook to see if I could catch any action. For a while, the only thing I could hear on the scanner was a yard job to the west in Manville. Then just before the skies opened up, I caught a pair of trains back to back – one NJ Transit, and one NS on the Lehigh Line.
After work, I figured I’d head out trackside despite the crappy weather – rain showers had been rolling through, but no major downpours. Why not? I can’t play with the kids, so I may as well fill the evening with some trains.
So while sitting in traffic, I was trying to think of where to go. First was Manville by the water tower. So I headed there, and checked things out. A look west, and I could see the headlights of a yard job working in the distance, but looking east, I the signals at CP-BOUND BROOK were all red. So there were no eastbounds heading this way. OK, where next?
Since I was close by, I figured the NJ Transit Bound Brook station was in order. It’ll give me some shelter from the rain, and a shot at both NJT and NS on the Conrail Lehigh Line.
I got to Bound Brook, parked, then walked over to the schedule to check things out – it looks like train 5737 was due in about 5 minutes. So I headed back to the car, grabbed by gear, and went to the station. But as I was grabbing my gear, I heard something on the scanner – it sounded like there was a westbound freight coming my way. OK, cool, at least I catch something.
A couple moments after I got to the far platform, westbound NJT train 5737 came into view.
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One thing I noticed was that at CP-BOUND BROOK, there was a flashing yellow over red signal – Advance Approach. So there was something heading this way. Cool, I’d get a freight.
Once the train boarded the passengers, it headed west again, in the rain.
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Now to wait for the westbound freight. At least I was under the roof, because the rain started to become quite heavy.
About 5 minutes later, I saw headlights to the east on the Conrail line. Here comes a Norfolk Southern local.
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And a horizontal shot of the train passing by a beat up old building
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Then something caught my eye – someone scrawled “Lil’ Toot” on one of the horn bell covers
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Heh…a sense of humor is still around.
Next up was a going away shot as the train headed for CP-BOUND BROOK
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Then I watched the train roll by in the increasing rain, enjoying the show. But then I noticed something – there was a Norfolk Southern GP38-2 on the tail end. (In fact, it was the same geep I caught last time I was at CP-BOUND BROOK). So I got a few shots of the train rolling towards and through CP-BOUND BROOK
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And one final shot of the train heading through the interlocking, and towards some quite dark and menacing clouds.
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And with those menacing clouds approaching, I hightailed it to the car. Just as I got into the car, the skies opened up with a torrential downpour. Perfect timing.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
