The New Bartonsville Bridge

We visit Bartonsville, Vermont tonight. The covered bridge named after the town which Hurricane Irene washed away, has been replaced with a new version! Located on Vermont Rail System’s Green Mountain trackage, which sees at best, one freight each way during daytime every twenty four hours, it is rare to see a night train pass by the covered bridge. This has changed, much to my delight, with the operation of the ethanol unit trains bound for Providence, R.I., an example of which we saw last week departing Rutland loaded behind VTR 308. The returning empties run across the Green Mountain in the middle of the night lately! Upon seeing posts in the fan sites about the empties returning north from Providence to the NECR yesterday, I inquired of friends if the train might again run at night out of Bellows Falls. I soon learned that Yes! That was the plan! This news changed everything. In short order I was heading south towards a snowstorm heading north, with the ethanol train somewhere between myself and the snowstorm! Every night out trackside is an adventure, and my expectations were running high for tonight! LOL! So......it starts snowing about forty five minutes from the covered bridge, and I break one of the railfan rules................”always make sure the train you want to shoot leaves its terminal before you do”.......in order to check out the angles at the new bridge first. I had been told the angles were better, all the more reason to see for myself before being cornered by a snowstorm over two hours from the compound for nothing. Scott, you were correct! Thank you! I walk the scene a couple of times and like the obvious spot to shoot from..............inside. Not a bad place to be in a heavy snowstorm shooting passing trains, inside a covered bridge! It’s after midnight, so vehicle traffic will not be a concern on a weeknight. Now...........about that ethanol train. I had been hearing the NECR setting the train out down in Bellows Falls, but had not heard the VRS job yet, so I drive toward Bellows Falls, hoping to “flush ‘em out”. This technique works too well tonight! I am nearly into Bellows Falls when an NECR engineer asks VRS engineer Billy Feindel his location, and Billy replies he is in Riverside, the conductor is walking the train! They are close by! Sliding the civic around in the road, I have covered the nine miles or so back to the bridge when the car scanner picks up the same NECR engineer wishing Billy a good night, to which he replies, “thanks, it should be an interesting trip over the mountain tonight!” Which brings a smile to my face! He dose’nt know yet, but Billy is going to drive through one of my night photo setups tonight as well! Setting up the lights in heavy snow goes well, even though I can hear the train blowing for crossings to the east! Always unnerving at night, but, it’s a ten mph railroad here so I have time. Plus I am actually lighting up a small narrow space looking out from the covered bridge, and I pay attention lest I overdue the lighting. Finally I position the camera and take test shots, tweaking a couple flashes, then wait.........admiring the view. I like shooting at night in a snowstorm, and it has been quite a while. After a few more minutes headlight glow is sighted to the south, and SD 90MAC 125 closes in. I fire off a couple awareness flashes for Billy and conductor then enjoy the drama. Billy finishes blowing for the crossing as he slowly enters it, the pilot of 125 crossing to my spot and in an instant the image is captured! The lighting is good, nothing is overexposed looking at the lcd monitor! And yes, I like the angle, hope you do also. The interstate is in bad shape all the way back until I reach Montpelier, but it is not really a problem after shooting this scene. I have all night! Shot in Bartonsville, Vermont on March 19, 2013 at 01:09 with the 5D and Zeiss ZF 28/2 lens. Special thanks to Scott Whitney! Please enjoy the photo!

 

All The Best In 2013;

Gary Knapp