As I had mentioned in my last posting, I had planned on heading out after work this morning for another round of rail plow action - somewhere. I wasn't sure where I was going to go this morning. I had a phone conversation with Rod Bushway - a well-connected Montreal Maine & Atlantic photographer - and there were no MMA plows planned for this morning. The MMA job 202 was going NORTH with MMA B39-8E 8569 and MMA GP7u 23 - both facing north with few photo angles between Northern Maine Jct. and Millinocket. I thought about yesterday's events and knew a Pan Am plow had gone west to Portland and there were several branches that still were in need of serious work, so I figured I head towards Waterville and formulate a plan as activity developed. I paralleled the Freight Main from Northern Maine Jct. to Newport, realizing nothing had run since yesterday morning's westbound NMED that I had photographed. They have to run a plow east to clear out the right-of-way and keep the traction motors and gearboxes from getting bound up...but would they do that today? The scanner was eerily quiet as I made the trek west/southwardly to Waterville...not a crackle, not a peep. I got to exit 133 (Fairfield) on I-95 and was going to scoot into town and check what was where and if anything looked like it would move anytime soon. I no sooner reached the end of the exit ramp and prepared my turn onto Rt. 201, when I hear - "District 1, MD-1 plow extra is ready to go". Holy you-know-what! I had forgotten about that broken spreader from yesterday - but obviously they are going to plow the branch today! I quickly made a LEGAL u-turn (there was a police officer observing my actions from nearby so I genuinely did it legally!) and headed back onto I-95 southbound for the Oakland exit. MD-1 is given clearance from CPF113 (Waterville Yard) to CPF119 (Oakland) and advises the District 1 dispatcher that they would be using Springfield Terminal GP7 12 and GP9 45, along with Russell plow MWS 77. A double HOLY YOU-KNOW-WHAT! A Russell Plow on the Madison Branch!! I made time for Oakland and set up for the train to leave the Freight Main and head up the Madison Branch. As the MD-1 arrives it passed through Oakland and headed out of sight to the interlocking for the branch. It was extremely shadowed in, so I opted to stay right at CPF119 and the Madison Branch Yard Limit sign to wait out the move. Soon enough the plow extra arrived and was pushing a good deal of snow from the Madison Branch right-of-way. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423402824505.jpgAfter capturing this unique image, I headed out of Oakland on Oak Street/Ten Lots Road, where I knew the MD-1 would cross, though this time of day - morning (08:30 to be exact) was not conducive to perfect lighting, but hey - it is a plow on the Madison Branch, right? As I set up at Ten Lots Road (still technically within the borders of the Town of Oakland) a pair of trucks arrive with railroad officials. The Pan Am Railway System Track Supervisor and the Pan Am Railway District Track Supervisor, emerge and inspect the crossing before the arrival of the MD-1 Plow Extra. Conversing a bit with the gentlemen, I learn that this is rarer than I had first thought. The spreader that was scheduled to operate yesterday is the only plow type that has plied these rails previously - according to the men - as the Russell plow type is prone to derailing at certain areas of low and high spots on this route that closely follows natural terrain. But they are optimistic that today will be historic and the Russell with do the trick. As we discuss this event, the MD-1 Plow extra approaches coming out of the sun. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423380524383.jpgBoth men inspect closely the plow and flanges of the locomotives as it eases through the ice-packed Ten Lots Road crossing. Success is achieved as the plow stays rail-bound and continues northward towards Mile 3 of the branch.http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423355124247.jpgAs the MD-1 plow extra makes its way north - albeit at 5mph from Mile 1 to Mile 6 - the Guilford-adorned geeps accelerate and decelerate to compensate for the snow pack and maintain their speed. As the MD-1 passes through the Ten Lots Rd. crossing - a splendid winter scene begins to emerge. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423333124172.jpgThen - as soon as it is fading off towards Mile 4 - in the company of the Track Supervisors - I manage this going away shot that screams winter and cold. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423311524085.jpgI was overly joyous at the thought of shooting this train into the sun all morning, but if that relatively low speed is maintained past the 5mph restriction - maybe the sun would come around. I comment to the Track Supervisors that they could have waited a few hours to dispatch it - they both chuckle and say - it's amazing it's on this branch at all - let's just hope it "stays" on the branch I respond - referencing the derailment-prone nature of this particular type of plow here. And then it happened, just as I was heading for the next possible photo location - Horn Hill Road in the Town of Fairfield - the scanner chimes out: "MD-1 to District 1 - we're on the ground". Well that didn't take long. Not even to Mile 4 of the branch and it is done. I wonder if they will call off the plow job completely and await the spreader repairs. I head to Horn Hill Road and can observe the leaning plow more than a mile distant. Lots of radio traffic transpires and a decision is made to cut the power off the train and head back to Ten Lots Rd. to retreive the Track Supervisor and more men and equipment from the Waterville Mechanical Department and take them to the site of the derailment with jacks and cribbing. This isn't looking promising at this point. I decide that this is worth waiting for and after about an hour, realize that the sun is really coming around on the branch and while this is tedious to have to wait - it will benefit me in the end. Another track foreman shows up and we chat a bit - he informs me that the location of the derailment is a known 'hump' in the track and there was anticipation that it would jump right where it did. It didn't let them down! After more than four hours of rerailing efforts, the foreman standing by me gets a cell call from the Track Supervisor aboard the plow - "I am back on board, we are moving and if we derail again, we're pulling it back to Waterville and we'll find another way to get it done". Boy - no pressure at this point... Shortly - at around 14:38 - the MD-1 Plow Extra heads towards Horn Hill Road and is pushing serious amounts of snow. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423291023986.jpgI land a few shots of the approaching MD-1 plow extra and then of the conglomerate of men that replicated a clown car at a circus. The door opened to the MWS 77 and the entire group of men - sans the one to the far left who is the track foreman - emerged. They are inspecting the crossing and will be driven back to their trucks at Ten Lots Road by the foreman.http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423271423892.jpg http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423252023816.jpg http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423230023720.jpgI request permission for a close-up view of the side of the Russell plow - which had been painted last winter and had all markings and stencils updated. This particular plow - MWS 77 - was constructed in 1944. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423203923642.jpgAfter the plow extra departs Horn Hill Road - which is Mile 5 of the Madison Branch - it completes the last leg of its 5mph slow order. At Mile 6, the MD-1 accelerates to a blazing 10mph for the remainder of the trip up the branch to Madison, Maine. I head back out to Martin Stream Road and head north for a crossing with the Madison Branch to see what type of angle I can muster for a shot. Not long after my arrival, the MD-1 is blowing for the crossing (Mile 7) and emerges for a nice wide-angle side view. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423181923546.jpg I had inspected the route earlier to figure out sun angles - what else to do for four hours of waiting, right? - and I had seen multiple trees down along the right-of-way. I had informed the Track Foreman of such and the message was relayed by radio to the train crew. As the MD-1 plow extra approaches Bear Mountain Road, the trees along the right-of-way almost appear to be bowing in its presence. And well they should - this Russell Plow has made it 8 full miles up the Madison Branch - a feat not achieved in more than 20 years (according to the Track Supervisor). http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423153423449.jpgI retreated back to the Martin Stream Rd., knowing that the Madison Branch paralleled for a brief respite before diving into the heavily forested area south of the Town of Norridgewock. I headed to a location that wasn't totally enveloped in dark long shadows and waited. Soon the plow extra rounded the curve into beauteous sunlight - framing up another set of photos on what has turned out to be one of the best winter railfanning days I can remember. http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423131623344.jpg http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423111723262.jpg Next up is Norridgewock - lots of photo opportunities in the town itself, however the later afternoon has caused many of the classic locations to be overshadowed and/or tight for images. And for those familiar with Norridgewock - there is a tell-tale landmark - the old Maine Central bridges the Kennebec River on an impressive branchline structure parallel to Route 201A. The sun has aligned itself for a perfect afternoon crossing of the MD-1. Since it is off the beaten path to get the afternoon image, I opt to head straight for my perch and avoid the downtown imagery - despite the fact that I MAY have made it there - this was THE shot that I wanted. A historic view of the Russell plow crossing the Kennebec -and with the amount of snow that looked to be accumulated on the bridge - there would be a neat effect of falling snow beneath the train - or so I thought. At 16:22 the muffled weak horn of the MWS 77 sounds for the Rt. 201A crossing on the south side of the bridge and then the plow extra tiptoes onto the steel structure. No snow is falling - at least at first.http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423424624613.jpg And no sooner had I said that aloud to myself - the snow did start falling creating an awesome cascade effect beneath the train. I would have to end my sojourn here today, but be back tomorrow for yet another plow extra that would be out and about - TBD. But I knew that today I had captured a historic event that even the railroad solicited photos for their archive from me. The skies and weather could not have been better - cobalt blue and temps in the lower 20's with a light and variable breeze that didn't cut through you like many previous days... http://photos.nerail.org/showpic?photo=2009022423091323178.jpg Tomorrow is another day and plows will still be out and running, tireless crews as well, trying to maintain fluidity on the former Maine Central territory now under the reigns of the Pan Am Railway.
Kevin Burkholder, FP-C, NREMT-P, CCEMT-P
Flight Paramedic - LifeFlight of Maine, Bangor Basehttp://www.lifeflightmaine.org IAFP Board of Director http://www.flightparamedic.org P 207.471.0041C 207.735.7095
Incredable photography, Courtesy of Nerail.
Posted with Kevin's permission.
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