Providence & Worcester Delivers Submarine Parts

Chase, Chris, Mark, Tom and I waited at Mill Cove this morning, expecting NR-2 to have 80 empty ethanols in its consist.
But instead, it had only about a dozen cars, the first of which was a Dept. of Defense 4-truck drop center flatcar, with a large submarine part destined for Electric Boat.
So Tom went back to work, and we gladly chased the train down to Groton and its delivery at EB. Only problem was a couple half-wit rent-a-cops from Pfizer who thought we were a threat to homeland security, wielding those obviously terroristic cameras on a public sidewalk, taking photos. The Groton police sergeant that was summoned to the scene was a lot more sensible and after asking us who we are and what we're doing, told us goodbye.

Here's a link to some of the photos I got today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33786891@N ... 958132455/

Enjoy,
Lee

Geez... I have lived within a mile of that track for my entire live, and I had no idea they brought sub parts via the P&W. Excellent pictures.

Hi, wonder if you could give me any info on the P&W on the shoreline. I work just north of the Mystic River RR bridge and all I ever see is Amtrak. One of my co-workers was at our boatyard last Saturday and saw a large eastbound P&W consist of tank cars.(Of course he didn't think to grab a camera...) 14 years there, often 6 days a week, and I've never seen any such thing. Any idea what they were hauling and if this will become a more common run? I'd be thrilled to see some freight running by...
Thanks!

That was a loaded P&W ethanol extra from CP via the Gateway. They'll often send lite engines from Providence to New London to collect the tanks from NECR and run up the NEC as opposed to routing NL-Norwich-Worcester-PVD. Empties almost always return by way of Worcester-Norwich-NL.

I saw the Tanks in the consist in Worcester....dead batteries in the camera, sorry...

The P&W has freight and trackage rights between Lawn Interlocking in Pawtucket RI and New London CT on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Over the past 3 to 4 months they been moving loaded ethanol on this route mostly at night. There have been 4 moves in daylight during this time.

As stated in an earlier post the empties are moving in 80 car blocks from Worcester to New London via P&W's Norwich Branch.

It will be not happening for much longer once new rail is installed on the P&W's Willimantic Branch the loaded and empty ethanol will be moving over this route instead of the Northeast Corridor.


Rich B

Right, Rich. Rail and ties are already in the area and work on the Willi is supposed to start within the next week. Get your photos of the ethanol on the NEC while you can.....

Am I right in thinking that the spur to the Groton docks is the original Stonington Road main line to the Thames River ferry?