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Becket, MA
At MP-130.5 is where the former Middlefield Station (Bancroft) once stood. Today only the foundation from the old freight house is still standing along with one of three spur tracks. On the property today stands a old 1932 Rutland woodside caboose owned by a Mr Loren Johnson and is considered off limits to all.
While picture taking is permitted on the grounds it is highly avised to get your shots and move on since in the past there have been problems with vandals. No camping or fires are allowed on the property and while you are there its expected that you keep the place clean.
From the caboose area several photo angles can be possible. Generally the morning being good for E/B's and as the sun swings around late afternoon sweet light for those W/B's can be excellant.
Location #1 is looking east as Q119 pulls up hill. Light is best from mid-to late afternoon.
Location #2 taken from the same location only with a E/B Q166 in this mid-afternoon side angle.
Further up the line from the caboose good angles can be found in and around MP-131 in the morning on the northside of the tracks up on the hills and ledge out-croppings. As the light swings later in the afternoon side lite shots for both E/B's & W/B's can be from the southside along cinder lased slopes.
Location #3 has the 7359 drifting downhill in charge of the Q168 in this morning shot taken from the northside on a slightly eleavated location.
Further west along the line one will encounter the famous Middlefield Twin Ledges. No where west of Springfield, MA can one find so many twist and turns that the RR must make than up in the area's between CP-123 and CP-140
Location #4 shows the CSX 603 in the lead pounding the iron on track 1 through the ledge.
Location 4a has xCR SD40-2 with new CSX dress #8831 drifting down through on track 2 with the Q26426
Sun angles are good first thing in the morning from the first ledge. As the sun shifts the second ledge tends to be better as the day wears on.
On first ledge you come up on you'll find a small hut that someone built for sleep overs and to stay out of the weather during the cold winters up here. Any fires built should be done with caution as the area has had many dry spells the past few summers.
*One other note to make is when hiking up into this area be very carefull when making the trip due to a usual wind along with the roar of the nearby river below makes hearing any E/B's difficult due to the new quiet motors (GE& EMD have produced) when on the downgrade. E/B's can sneak up on a person if one doesn't use caution due to the lack of space along side the ROW.
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