Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Looking for Snow - 12/31/07

The final day of 2007 proved to be more challenging than originally planned. A nor'easter was predicted to hit the area on the 30th and last until the 31st. If this had turned out the way it was suppose to it would have been beautiful. However when I awoke on the 31st there was no snow on the driveway or the sidewalks and very little on the lawn. I checked local waether and found out that more snow had fallen to the north. I decided to head over the border to Springfield, MA.

Once I got to Springfield I discovered a few things. First the snow was considerably deeper here which would make for some great photography. The view looking west from the station was beautiful as snow was caked on all sides of the CSX bridge that crossed the Connecticut River. (photo 1)
However a few more things became pretty clear which would limit my photographic abilities. Amtrak was operating on their weekend schedule which didn't impact this area too much since they don't operate a lot of trains anyway. CSX was on a holiday schedule and CSO wasn't operating at all. At the station P42 no. 20 was idling next to the station with a pair of Amfleet coaches in tow. (photo 2)Since I was here I would make the best of it and go home with some pretty decent photos.


The crew for train 401 came out of the station and boarded their train. A few passengers came and also boarded. At 10:20AM the engineer blew the horns for departure and P42 moved forward and pulled away from the station. (photo 3) A few minutes after train 401 rounded the curve west of the station
I could hear the approaching train 450 blowing for some grade crossings south of Springfield. A few minutes would pass before P42 no. 107 would round the curve and approach the station. (photo 4) Today's consist was an Amfleet coach and a ex-Metroliner cab car no. 9644.



A couple more hours would pass before I would see anymore activity. The next train to depart would be Train 463 wit cab car no. 9644 in command. (photo 5)
After train 463 departed I would hear train 460 off in the distance and in a few minutes P42 no. 103 would round the curve and approach the station. Photo 6)
Another hour would pass before the sounds of any train would be heard. A pair of light Amtrak P42's (nos. 71 and 136) would pass through the station heading west. probably going to Rensselaer for some maintenance work. (photo 7).
Before leaving I got a photo of cab car 9639 at the station (photo 8).
After this I decided to head south back into Connecticut. My plan was to photograph the nothbound Vermonter (Train 54) crossing the long span over the Connecticut River at Enfield, CT. I arrived there and met a good friend of mine, Steve Stomper. We chated for a while and than we could hear train 54 at the Windsor Locks station to the south. I got in postion and got a nice shot of the train crossing the trestle. (photo 9). After this I headed for home to take part in the New year's eve festivities.























































































1 comment:

RS3528 said...

Bob, Congratulations on your new Blog. It looks great!! I'm looking forward to reading about more of your adventures. Dick