Photo: Burlington Northern train and the USS Ronald Reagan race to the north along Richmond Beach

A Burlington Northern train catches up with the USS Ronald Reagan
as they both head north out of Richmond Beach
Photo by Marc Weinberg

Marc Weinberg comments:

A friend called to tell me the USS Ronald Reagan was leaving Puget Sound this morning and I rushed down to the Richmond Beach shoreline to find a good viewing spot as she came along. I selected a vantage point at the Richmond Beach Kayu Kayu Ac Park which would be clear of trees. 

I had taken a few practice shots when I heard a northbound train approaching. I knew instantly that my view of the ship would be blocked and I wondered if I could be lucky enough to capture both the train and the ship. I only had one chance and one click of the shutter and the ship would be gone. This photo (above) is the result.

According to the Kitsap Sun,

The USS Ronald Reagan departed Monday morning (from the Bremerton shipyards) for its San Diego home after 14 months of work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

The Reagan crew, shipyard workers and contractors completed what the Navy calls a Docked Planned Incremental Availability — $218 million in maintenance and upgraded systems, much of it performed in dry dock. Projects ranged from preserving the ship’s exterior and island, complete overhaul of its internal computer network, and work on the main engines and rudders,

The Sun reports that the future of the Reagan is not clear.

Reagan is headed back to Naval Base Coronado, but its future isn’t clear. It will rejoin the West Coast deployment cycle, which includes the Middle East and western Pacific Ocean. The ship isn’t scheduled to deploy for some time, said Cmdr. Kevin Stephens of Naval Air Forces Pacific, and budget problems jeopardize its time on the water.

Read more about the Reagan