BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: After missing last year's legendary run of the Pan Am OCS between White River Junction and East Deerfield--which featured B&M heritage GP9 #77 leading--I was bound and determined to make sure I was in White River Junction on Sunday morning of this year's Glory Days Festival. Sure, the forecast called for rain and the word on the street was that the Fs would lead, but I figured anything was possible, right?
As late as Saturday night, I heard that the plan was for the OCS to follow Amtrak south after its 11:13 AM departure. Unfortunately, it turned out that the OCS crew would not go on-duty until 2:00 PM. Bad news for sure, but I figured if they got out quickly then I might still have a chance for a good chase.
The train was ready to depart around 3:00 PM, but a track warrant south of town led to further delays. Finally, at 4:00 PM, the NECR dispatcher gave the OCS permission to head south, but only as far as Windsor. This actually worked in my favor as I was able to get a shot at Hartland, then jump ahead to Windsor station--a shot I had in mind all day. After about a 15-minute wait, the OCS was granted permission to continue south to Claremont Junction for a meet with Amtrak. Light rain began to fall as the train approached, producing the exact type of mood shot I was hoping for at this location. Sadly, this was the last of only two shots I was able to get of this train on the road, but I'm thankful for being able to salvage something on a day where things didn't go quite as I had hoped.
So, without further ado, returning from the Glory Days Festival in White River Junction, Pan Am's OCS heads south past Windsor Station and a classic New England scene.
