Part 2
T
emperatures were dropping fast as we left the motel.
Just as we were getting ready to hop in the car, we
heard a horn coming from town. We raced down to
the tracks and found a pair of green Geeps parked on the pass-
ing siding with a train. This was M2, the local out of Madrid,
which worked down to the old Androscoggin Paper mill at East
Dixfield. It also worked consignees at Weld and Carthage along
the way. The crew headed over to the store, so we set up the
cameras and got the flashbulbs ready. Joe worked the cameras
as I flashed off seven or eight #2 flashbulbs on the flanks of the
Geeps. I also was able to flash some light onto the bell tower
of the Weld Congregational Church (18).
After a few minutes, the crew returned with coffee in hand.
They were a friendly bunch of guys, and explained that they
would be in town for just a little while. They had only one
empty boxcar to pick up from Osgood’s. After that, they would
Journey to Allagash - 2
Allagash after dark. ...
18: Local
M2, with
Geeps 500
and 509
parked on
the passing
track at
Weld while
the crew
fetches
coffee from
the store.
18
head south for the paper mill. The brakeman mentioned that
they had an opposing train (DA2 – empty “Lumberjack”) that
they would have to deal with. They’d make a run for the mill,
but they’d likely meet at Carthage. We got another shot of the
500 and 509 paused on Route 156 (19), and then a moody view
of the Geeps grabbing an empty grain boxcar from the siding
alongside the bagged feed shed at Osgood’s (20). After this
move, the M2 crew got their horses in motion and accelerated
out of town. We decided to go grab a soda at the store and
hang out in the car with the tunes. We weren’t up for chasing
in the dark, and we wanted to be in position for DA2, since that
AGE unit would be on the point.
An hour passed and still no DA2. It was after 9 p.m. We were
starting to get discouraged, but decided to tough it out.
19a
19a-19b: M2 steps across Route 156 in Weld. They
will switch out Osgood’s.
MRH-Feb 2014
