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After dinner on Friday the 13th, Kris and I stopped down to Palmer, Mass., to see if anything was moving.

In time-honored practice we parked near the signals at CP83. I got out of the car and gave a listen. It was hard to hear over the cacophony of music and voices emanating from the Steaming Tender. I gazed east on the old Boston & Albany and saw that the yard was mostly empty. Then, I walked to New England Central’s former Central Vermont yard on the opposite side of the parking lot. While there, I caught a hint of a long-familiar sound. Freight cars drifting downgrade . . .Eastbound!

Turning on the hoof, I ran back to the signals, and gave it a second listen. . . . . definitely an eastbound on the B&A! I stepped back to frame up the photograph and saw the switch was lined for the controlled siding.

As the CSX freight came into view and took the siding, I could hear another train. Eighty-five cars passed me, and when the last had cleared the signals, I saw New England Central’s freight waiting to cross the diamond southbound.

We had timed our arrival perfectly! Lucky for us, but it helps to be tuned to the sounds of railroading.

Although the paint on the engines was different and the trees had grown, it was for that few minutes like old times in my old haunt.

Photos exposed using a Nikon Z7-II, NEF Raw files converted to DNG format using DxO PureRaw and adjusted for exposure, contrast and color using Lightroom.

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