How Far Do You Think To The Next Gas Station?

Day 13 : 3rd October 1996

“You can only count it going uphill!”

There was a plan here! Lake Shore Limited to Springfield MA, brew pub outside the station for and hour or so, train to New Haven, train to New London simple!

Best laid plans! Awakedness occurred and it was daylight. This gave the opportunity to view the passing of the immense and now derelict Buffalo Union Station, always a melancholy sight. Hang on! We should have past that in the dark!

Good old Late Shore! We were adrift of the timetable, by at least an hour. Oh well breakfast in the diner was as good as ever and as seemly never ending New York state rolled past the window we contemplated alternatives. Figuring that sticking to the plan was the safest bet we settled into the endless plod toward Albany.

Albany shuffle. F40s 411 & 398 wait for things to get sorted before going to Boston.

Arrival once again lead to the Amtrak shuffle of coaches, locos and people and yet more delay before the train set off again in the direction of Boston, THEN STOPPED!

The reason soon became apparent! Amtrak didn’t seem to consider two F40s as sufficient power over the Berkshire Hills to Springfield so GP40 194 was hitched to the back and multipled up with the stock. We set off again, accelerated, AND STOPPED!

Conversation with the conductor revealed that when 194 had been attached, someone had neglected to re-set it’s speed limiter. As it’s last job had been 40mph limited of course that meant that as soon as the train reached 40, 194 applied the brakes. This suggested that where ever the limiter was on 194s desk it wasn’t obvious, was this the design work of the food tray man in action again?

A pleasant ride followed through the hills and woods, all in there fall colours, onward to Springfield. Barry studied the timetable; “101 miles to Springfield, that’s not bad mileage for a banker” he mused.

Smurf roused from tree spotting out the window “You can only count it going uphill!” he declared.

“Hows that work” quizzed Barry.

Smurf went into full argument, “well it’s only powering up the hills so you can’t count it all the way!”

Barry pondered and with pause for effect, rose gaze from the timetable and launched his point. “but the ones on the front are only powering up the hills!”

Smurf’s retort trailed off, punctuated by “ah, well” and “but”. There was probably a very deep and meaningful point to be drawn from this but tree spotting was less stressful.

101 mile banker. Amtrak GP40 194 prepares to come off at Springfield.

After all the shenanigans, arrival at Springfield was getting close for the train out, let alone a beer. Disappointingly the afore mentioned brewery was visible smack outside the station. Typical! For us however, it was a quick dash over the crossing for another F40 down to New Haven, with no diner of Amcafe either.

The route to New Haven is as picturesque as it’s neighbour to Albany and trails down the river valley through Windsor Locks and Hartford to the grand and nicely restored station in New Haven itself. A quick change of train and off on another F40 to New London where our booked hotel actually turned out to be in Groton on the other side of the river (the Thames naturally), great. TAXI! Booked in there was a neat and busy little bar down the road so, what you going to do?

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