{"id":3363,"date":"2013-07-30T07:00:05","date_gmt":"2013-07-30T11:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=3363"},"modified":"2013-07-28T17:00:40","modified_gmt":"2013-07-28T21:00:40","slug":"irish-rails-tara-mines-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/irish-rails-tara-mines-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Irish Rail\u2019s Tara Mines Run"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fortuitous View From Dublin Bus, 23 July 2013.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Last Tuesday, 23 July 2013, I boarded Dublin\u2019s Airlink Bus (Route 747<\/a>) on O\u2019Connell Street<\/a>. I was on my way to London.<\/p>\n

The 747 takes a somewhat circuitous route through the Dublin City center. After encircling Bus Aras (Dublin\u2019s central intercity bus station) it wanders along the north quays and then passed the North Wall<\/a> on its way toward the Port Tunnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On this portion of the route, the bus crosses Irish Rail at grade on the line that runs down the Alexandra Road<\/a> into the port. I was on the upper deck of the 747, and as we approached the crossing I withdrew my Lumix<\/a> LX3 from my bag.<\/p>\n

Most travelers on an airport bus would dread the possibility of being delayed by a freight train. However, I was delighted when the traffic light turned red in front of the bus, and I notice a man in an Irish Rail orange vest with a red flag hovering by the street corner. This could only mean one thing . . .<\/p>\n

\"Tara<\/a>
Irish Rail’s empty Tara Mines train eases across the road as viewed from the Airlink Bus on 23 July 2013. Lumix LX3 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And there it was!\u00a0Great! <\/i>Acting quickly,\u00a0I opened the side window of the bus and positioned my camera. In a moment\u2019s time, Irish Rail\u2019s 071-class locomotive, number 081 eased across the road with the empty Tara Mines train in tow. The flagman walked the train over the crossing to insure maximum safety. I exposed the sequence of photos displayed here.<\/p>\n

\"Freight<\/a>
This image reminds me of a photo my father made in the 1960s of an Erie-Lackawanna caboose seen crossing a road from the inside of an old GM bus in New Jersey. Lumix LX3 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was only a momentary delay. Soon the traffic light returned to green and the bus continued on its way. Oddly, I don\u2019t think any of the other bus passengers shared my enthusiasm for the fortuity of the train\u2019s passing. Can\u2019t please everyone, I suppose.<\/p>\n

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