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Crikey! It's the Rozzers!* - August 15th.
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| Today the weather
forecast said beautiful blue skies clear and wonderful. So no other
excuse was needed to stop off in Elk River after my ridiculously early
finish from work on my way home. This time I thought I'd try
something different. Instead of the usual angles from the "S" curves in
town I thought I'd try for a shot of the trains climbing the grade out
of Elk River from the mighty Mississippi itself. Unfortunately an angle
with the river and the trains in sight looks impossible so I saw a
small park off Hwy10 and set up my camera there. Things were quiet.
There was a little talk on the scanners with warrants being issued and
then being voided a few moments later. So I knew there was stuff out
there it just wasn't moving. After 30 minutes or so a State Trooper
pulled into the park and asked me what I was doing. "Photographing trains" I told him. "Nothing else?" He queried. I assured him that was all I was interested in, as I've been interested in trains since I was a child and I wanted to take some pictures of the trains climbing the hill. "Its not your job then?" He carried on " You do have a job don't you?" He pursued his line of questioning further. He seemed a little disbelieveing that someone would want to photograph trains. So I turned over my id to him and he went through the rigomarole of calling in to check my id and see if I was who I claimed to be. With that a second law officer arrived. This one was an Elk River official and seemed more OK with the fact that people like to photograph trains in town. "No trains yet?" He cheerily greeted me as he pulled up. Two officers to deal with little old me? I must be a real threat. Apparently someone had seen me set up with my camera with a long lens outside the Elk River power station and called in to the police. Were they paranoid or vigilant? Thats for them to know. It was a mild annoyance but funny on reflection. Luckily during all this no trains went by. Both officers then left with a cheery wave and I set about to wait. A few more warrants were issued and voided. I heard the dispatcher curse the "new system". Then she issued a couple of warrants, one east and one west and didn't void them so I knew something was on the way. Within a few moments the eastbound arrived headed by a couple of Oakway EMD's No's 9080 and 9031 and a BNSF SD40 No.6845 along for company. |
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| The westbound took a little
longer to get here but eventually it arrived with a real mixed bag in
tow a nice pair of pumpkin C-44's and an RC SW sandwiched in between.
Strange match up I thought. Anyway it barrelled down the hill and out
of sight. |
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| That was it really.
All I had to show for 2 hours work was a run in with the law and a
couple of pictures. Not much. To be honest the pictures aren't what I
had hoped for. But then again the best angle for this shot is probably
in the northbound lane of Hwy10 and if I set up there I'd really get
some attention from the law. |
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"Rozzers" English slang for the Police. |