{"id":1298,"date":"2013-02-10T21:03:07","date_gmt":"2013-02-11T02:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=1298"},"modified":"2013-02-10T21:55:33","modified_gmt":"2013-02-11T02:55:33","slug":"clearing-snow-after-the-blizzard-february-10-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/clearing-snow-after-the-blizzard-february-10-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Clearing Snow After the Blizzard: February 10, 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Railway<\/a>
Shafts of morning sun illuminate exhaust from the Palmer yard office, while snow is blown from tracks at New England Central’s yard on February 10, 2013. Temperature = 0 Fahrenheit; image exposed digitally with a Canon 7D<\/a> and 200mm lens; ISO 200.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The media loves storms; and they always have. New England\u2019s first big snowfall of the on February 8th<\/sup> and 9th<\/sup>, seems to have made news everywhere. Friends from London called to say that the New England storm was a lead-in story on BBC.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/a>
New England Central at Washington Street, Monson\u2014looking north before the storm, Friday February 8, 2013. Lumix LX-3 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Railway<\/a>
Two days later: New England Central at Washington Street, Monson\u2014looking north after the storm, Sunday February 10, 2013. Lumix LX-3 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the morning the snow began, I made a few photos at Washington Street in Monson with my Lumix LX-3 (for later comparison). Historically this was the site of Monson\u2019s railway station, gone nearly 60 years now. Blankets of snow fell on Monson, Massachusetts<\/a> through the day on Friday and into Saturday. I spent Saturday clearing off cars and whatnot, as you do after a heavy snowfall. The railroads were quiet, and a general ban on highway travel, plus dire road conditions discouraged me from going anywhere to make photos.<\/p>\n

\"Chruning<\/a>
Churning blades of the snow-blower clearing Palmer yard. Canon 7D with 200mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Snow<\/a>
Clearing New England Central’s Palmer Yard on February 10, 2013. Canon 7D with 200mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"New<\/a>
New England Central’s Palmer Yard on February 10, 2013.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This morning (February 10, 2013) I aimed for Palmer, where it was clear and bright, but all of 1 degree Fahrenheit. Between 18 inches and 2 feet of snow covered the ground, with drifts several feet deep in places. Yes, it was a good dump, but not a record by my estimation. I\u2019ve seen more snow.<\/p>\n

Clearing New England Central\u2019s yard was a bucket loader fitted with a snow blower. This made for a few impressive scenes, which I\u2019ve tried to capture here. However, in general, traffic on the railways was quiet. CSX<\/a> sent a set of light engines east. These stopped about a mile west of Palmer (milepost 84.5) because what I understood to be an axle problem with one of the General Electric locomotives. After a few minutes, these were on the move, and I made some views of CSX passing the old Palmer Union Station at CP83\u2014now occupied by the Steaming Tender restaurant\u2014a favorite eating\u00a0place\u00a0of mine.<\/p>\n

\"CSX<\/a>
Mid-morning on February 10, 2013, CSX light engines roll eastward passed CP83 in Palmer, Massachusetts<\/a>. The old Palmer Union Station is now the Steaming Tender restaurant. Canon 7D with 28-135 zoom lens. Exposed at ISO 200 f10, 1\/1000 second, metered manually.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"NECR_Palmer_IMG_2551\"<\/a><\/p>\n

About noon, New England Central dispatched a pair of GP38s south as \u2018Extra 608\u2019. Although once standard, today finding a pair of New England Central\u2019s yellow and blue GP38s together is a rare treat. These ambled southward through Monson over Stateline Hill (so named because it crests near the Massachusetts-Connecticut border), which allowed ample opportunities for photographs. Extra 608 was destined for Willimantic to help clear the line and collect interchange left by the Providence & Worcester. All in all, this was a productive day for photography. I worked with my Lumix LX-3, Canon 7D, and Canon EOS-3. The Velvia 50 I exposed won\u2019t be processed for a while; I\u2019m on the big green bird tomorrow afternoon! Perhaps while traveling, I\u2019ll write a detailed post on my experience exposing railway images in the snow.<\/p>\n

\"Railway<\/a>
New England Central extra 608 approaches Bridge Street in Monson, Massachusetts on February 10, 2013. Canon 7D with 100mm f2.0 lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Railway<\/a>
New England Central extra 608 at Stafford Springs, Connecticut on February 10, 2013. Lumix LX-3 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Stafford<\/a>
Trailing view of New England Central GP38s passing Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Canon 7D with 40mm pancake lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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