On my way out of work today, I called my wife to see what she wanted to do for dinner. Well, she was still out at her sister’s house (and pool) and was planning on having dinner with the kids there. So that left me a little time this afternoon to try and catch New England Central train NERWPA. They’re usually on duty at about 3pm in South Windham, and heading north soon after that. The question today was, will I be able to get into Willimantic soon enough to catch them before they make their run to Palmer?
While coming north on Route 32, of course the scanner was on, doing its thing. As I headed past the CC Lonsbury site – which is where the NECR crew base is – I saw that the train wasn’t there. So that meant at the very least they were heading to Willimantic. Just then, a marker chirp came across the scanner – that meant that they were within a mile or two of me!
Continuing north, as I crossed through the Route 203 intersection, something ahead of me caught my eye. It was the tail end of NECR train NERWPA heading north. With the way the track skirts the river, and the lack of traffic in front of me, I should be able to make it to the sidewalk between Pleasant Street and the tracks by the Frog Bridge.
I got there well ahead of the train, so I grabbed my cameras – the 40D with the 70-200mm on it, and the 20D with the 18-50mm – and walked up the sidewalk a bit.
A couple moments later, NERWPA pulled into view.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7576]Then rolled past me
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7575]Back to the telephoto for a high contrast black & white shot of the power passing by, heading for the Frog Bridge
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7574]Then as the train continued under the Frog Bridge, I decided to get a little artsy-fartsy with a little more abstract shot.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7573]Satisfied with the shots here, I headed for Bridge Street to see what I could get over there.
When I parked in the CT Eastern Railroad Museum driveway, NERWPA was getting ready to switch the P&W interchange.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7572]After the conductor cut the power away, he threw the switch to grab the cars that P&W train NR-4 left last night
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7571]Once tied on, the train pulled forward across Bridge Street
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7570]As the engineer waited for the conductor to line the switch back to the main, I got a shot of one of the cars at the crossing, a little too close to the gate
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7569]After the switch was back to the main, the train shoved back to grab the rest of their train. Then it sounded like they were doing a brake test. OK, time to go – maybe I could get ahead of them at the Route 66 overpass by the CERM.
I got there just as the train was coming into view from behind the trees. A couple moments later they came into view
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7568]Then a switch to the wide angle as they approached
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7567]Then something caught my ear, and eye. An ATV abruptly stopped as they came rushing through the underpass – apparently surprised to see a train there.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7566]Well, duh…remember, expect a train at any time. I guess these guys need to change their pants…
So, anyways, as the train was rolling beneath me, I got back in the car and set my sights on Eagleville Dam. I figured the light there should be pretty sweet this time of day.
I got there a few minutes ahead of the train, so I was able to walk around and check the angles. I settled on one that included the waterfall as the first shot, then a telephoto as the train pulled through a hole in the trees to the north.
A couple minutes later, the train rolled into view, and I got my first shot.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7565]As they rolled past, I switched to the telephoto, and waited for them to appear in the distance. As they did, I noticed something else – a guy in a kayak paddling right in front of where the train was
[cpg_imagefixthumb:7564]Not a bad way to end the short chase. As the train continued to roll along the Willimantic River, I headed back south to the homefront.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
