Old Soo

I took this one in 2000 or 2001. I can't remember exactly. I was still using film and Guilford was still relying on the Canadian Pacific to haul freight trains west out of East Deerfield. I actually went off chasing another freight and stumbled across this one instead on a sunny Sunday afternoon. That was the way things went on Guilford. A friend of mine said the railroad was capable of swallowing freight trains whole, meaning that if you were setting off to chase a train you might never see it again. I can attest that there were many times I saw a train moving at 10 mph, drove a few miles down the tracks and got ready to photograph it only to never see it pass. And then I when I went back to where I had seen the train it wasn't there either.

Anyway, enough of ranting and raving. I was really happy to capture this train. Not only did I catch CP-owned power, but I managed to catch an old Soo GP. It may have been one of my most satisfying days out on the old B&M. I actually took photos in both black and white and color, but I couldn't find the color ones. When I do I will add to this post so you can compare and contrast.

The shot itself was in Charlemont, Massachusetts out in the Berkshires a few miles east of the Hoosac Tunnel.