Anticipation: It's a very quiet night in the Deerfield River Valley of western Massachusetts. Other than crickets and the flowing waters of the river, there's not much to be heard. Then, the relative silence is interrupted by a faint rumbling, which only grows louder. As it begins to echo off the mountains in the valley, it becomes clear to the casual observer that a train is approaching. To the railfan, it's the unmistakable sound of EMD 645 prime movers hauling freight. Then, horns can be heard as the train blows for the nearby Tunnel Road crossing. Shortly thereafter, a pocket of light begins to appear down the tracks, and it grows brighter. Soon the signals for the CPF415 interlocking are silhouetted by the light, and the rail heads begin to gleam as well. "Train time" is about to begin for a group of friends who have gathered to do what so many other railfans have been doing for years: Watch and listen to the show a westbound puts on as it climbs the end of a near-1% grade, crosses the Deerfield River, and charges into the East Portal of the 4.75-mile-long Hoosac Tunnel.
