Got out again this morning to take advantage of the sunlight, even though it was quite chilly. At least it wasn’t as windy as it was yesterday. But I did end up getting out a bit later than normal, which changed things a bit at the last minute. But that’s fine – I bagged two trains, more steel on the bridge, some birds, a US Coast Guard cutter, and ran into a guy named Bob.
Like I mentioned, I got out a bit later than normal this morning. As I was heading north, the radio was silent until I turned onto Route 12 at the Sub Base – NR-2 reported that they were south of MP5. Crap! A quick turnaround in a parking lot, and I was headed back south. I figured the best spot would be the Nautilus – if the traffic lights cooperated.
While I was sitting at the red light at the corner of Crystal Lake Ave and Military Highway, I could just picture NR-2 passing the Nautilus in front of me while I waited at the light. A moment later, the light changed to green, and I headed towards the Nautilus with no sign of NR-2. Phew!
I got into position just as the gates at the Nautilus dropped. The first shot I bagged was the lead power coming across the grade crossing at the Submarine Force Museum, with a Tomahawk cruise missile visible in the window of the museum
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5565]
Next up a horizontal shot of the train, and a nice reflection approaching the USS Nautilus
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5564]
Swiveling around to the south, a shot of the train passing behind the bare trees
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5563]
And back north, a shot of the trailing power passing the Nautilus
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5562]
Then it was back into the car, and heading south. Next stop was at the Thames River drawbridge to check on the progress. I got to the parking lot next to the drawbridge, and there was a steel worker sitting on the top of the west tower.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5561]
And a wider view of the west tower
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5560]
And I caught the worker apparently enjoying the view from his high perch
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5558]
I figured I’d try to catch NR-2 from further south, so I got back into the car. But as I moved back to the car, something in New London caught my eye. A large US Coast Guard cutter was moored in New London.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5559]
Turns out it’s the cutter Tahoma. Not sure why she’s here, but hey, it’s something different than the usual smaller cutters that frequent the Thames. After getting that shot, I got into the car, and made the 1/2 mile trek south to the next spot.
As I pulled into the parking lot, there was a familiar looking car parked down by the water. As I pulled closer, I saw the owner of the car – good friend and fellow rail photographer Bob LaMay. So we BS’d for a bit while waiting for Amtrak train 171 and NR-2 to follow them west.
A bit later, 171 came rolling across the drawbridge. I got a shot of them passing the west tower, with a pair of swans in the foreground
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5557]
And the swans continued towards us probably thinking we had some food.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5556]
Then another pair appeared from the south
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5555]
Then Bob & I went back to the BS session waiting for NR-2 to come down the east leg of the Groton wye. A couple minutes later, we heard horns to the north – NR-2 was heading onto the Shore Line.
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5554]
Then a shot of the shortish train stretched out across the drawbridge
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5553]
And the trailing power passing the west tower
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5552]
As part of our BS session between trains, Bob had asked if there was another shot to the south of where we were. Yep, there is, and we headed there next.
As we pulled into the parking lot, NR-2 was approaching the New London Amtrak station. First shot was the lead power passing by the Tahoma
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5551]
Then a wider shot of NR-2s trailing power, the Tahoma and the station
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5550]
And a couple standard across the river shots of the train crossing Shaw’s Cove
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5549] [cpg_imagefixthumb:5548]
Then as the train was continuing west something caught my eye – a pair of swans were flying south over the water. So the natural shot was the swans with NR-2 in the background
[cpg_imagefixthumb:5547]
Not a bad way to finish up the morning. Bob & I talked a bit more, then bid farewell – he was going to wait to try to catch a couple more trains, and I headed back to the office.
Thanks for looking!
Tom
