Dad Op

It's been a crazy week. My dad had a heart attack on Tuesday and a quadruple bypass the next day. And I flew down to Tennessee early Wednesday morning. I'd hoped I could get there before he went into surgery, but even in this modern age it took forever to get down there - or at least it seemed that way. But I was there when he woke up. And I am very happy to report that the surgery went well, no complications, and he's recovering. There's a long road ahead, but the road ahead looks so much better than it did last Tuesday/Wednesday. The hospital he's at is in Cookeville, TN and I'm very impressed with the expertise and care dad's received there. They've won multiple awards for cardiac care, so I know he's in good hands, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers - and my mom too: Dad isn't such a patient patient. . .

Suffice it to say, I much prefer Dad Ops to a Dad Op(eration)!

While I was there, I also discovered that the hospital isn't too far from the mainline of the Nashville & Eastern (I heard the tell-tale grade crossing horns one afternoon). So when we (my brother Jeff and I) went out to run a couple errands one day, we happened to see the local doing some switching. Since this is a railroad-related blog, I'll sign off for now with some photos and a video. I wish dad had been able to join me and Jeff on our little impromptu railfanning, but I look forward to some other time - hopefully in the not-too-distant future - when we can all get together again under much better circumstances.

On the Valley Line Today. . . in 1949

"RAIL ACTIVITY INCREASED BY DERAILMENT
Two Long Freight Trains Pass Through Town During Day

Rocky Hill - Early Wednesday morning (August 17, 1949) a 50-car freight train drawn by two diesel engines passed through Rocky Hill as a result of the derailment of a freight train at Bolton. Traffic had to be rerouted through Middletown and Rocky Hill to Hartford for the Boston to Hartford run. A second train equally as long, but drawn by only one engine, went through Rocky Hill shortly before noon. The unusual activity on the line caused considerable comment as only three trains a week with few cars pass through the town normally.

Station Agent James W. Whitty announced that effective September 1, the freight office hours will be changed from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday."

And that's the News on the Valley Line, August 17, 1949

(Makes me wonder whether the trains left the Midland in Willimantic and came down the Air Line to Middletown.  If they did, they would have had to back down that sharp quadrant track at the diamond to then be able to go north through Rocky Hill to Hartford.  Wow!  Though I suppose they could have gone down the Norwich & Worcester to New London, then west to Old Saybrook and then north.  Either way, it was quite a detour!)

(Special thanks to Bob Belletzkie for the article - and if you want to know ANYthing about stations on the New Haven Railroad, RUN don't walk to his website at http://www.tylercitystation.info/)