What a great job I have. I do marketing communications work for a real estate developer who has multiple job sites either directly adjacent to, or within sight of the Housatonic Railroad, a short-line hauler serving Western CT.
The local job, NX-11 does a switch-back move, changing ends by gravity right near where all the fast food places are. I usually get to see them do this move most days at lunch time. The same job runs right along side one of our job-sites giving me great access for pictures when the timing is right.
One of my print vendors happens to be located next to the tracks as well, on a different part of the ex NY-NH&H Maybrook line in Newtown, CT. When I have to go to the vendor’s shop I try to time it to coincide with the train. I can usually catch them switching a lumber transload facility in Hawleyville CT, and if I’m lucky catch them again as they go by the vendor in Newtown.
The crew is not noted for being railfan friendly. They used to make disparaging remarks over the radio when they would see me watching. They started calling me Johnny Railfan on the radio. Using my actual name was just coincidence, they thought it was an insult. I thought seriously about stopping my railfan adventures until I talked with a friend who is also a 1:1 railroader. He convinced me to enjoy watching them in spite of their comments.
Then I happened to meet one of the NX-11 crew while watching Hawaii #5 at the CT Antique Machinery Museum in Kent, CT. Since then the radio comments have been more friendly and waves rather than middle finger salutes became the norm. Occasionally they’ll joke over the radio about ‘where’s our coffee’ or ‘when are you bringing US lunch’.
I decided as a gesture of friendship I would take the request seriously and found out how each of them takes their coffee. Yesterday the timing was right and I showed up at one of their stops in Newtown with coffee, stood at a crossing and hollered DELIVERY. When it was safe, the switchman I had met in Kent invited me to cross the tracks. We talked for a few minutes before he had to get back to work. I don’t know if it is a regular move or not at this stop, but in return for the coffee they entertained me with a cut on-the-fly / gravity passing move that was a thing of beauty; The train shoved the loads up grade past a siding switch and came to a stop 10 or so cars upgrade from the switch. He then went to Notch 8 down grade. As soon as the cars were rolling good, they cut the engines loose on-the-fly while continuing to accelerate. As the engines went over the switch there was about a two car gap. The switchman pulled the handle before the cars got there, sending the cars into the siding to pass the engines. He jumped on as the last car went by to set the brakes. Engines then proceeded upgrade past the switch, then into the siding to hitch the cars and pull theme back to the main for a brake test. BTW, they use the horn to indicate brakes set rather than the radio.
So where else could I ever find a job that I truly enjoy, that they pay me almost what I think I’m worth, and I get to railfan nearly every day? As the train pulled away and I headed back to work, the only thing I could think of was I love my job!
I’m going to do the coffee delivery again. The engineer is the most grumpy of the three crewmen. If I’m lucky maybe I’ll get an invite into the cab.
Life isgood 
JR