FLC OF AN MLG STOPPED CLBING AND DSNDED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

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CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 11000 FT. I WENT OFF RADIO TO TALK TO BDL STATION AT THEIR REQUEST. AFTER I WENT OFF FREQ; ATC GAVE US A SHORT CUT DIRECT ALBANY VOR. ALSO ABOUT THAT TIME THEY ISSUED VFR TFC AT 17500 FT. RIGHT AFTER THIS; FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP WITH CREW MEAL. A LOT GOING ON AT ONE TIME SO COPLT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THAT VFR TFC COULD POSSIBLY BE A CONFLICT. WHEN I CAME BACK ON RADIO FREQ WE RECEIVED A TA. WE WERE CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 16000 FT. TFC WAS AT EDGE OF TCASII SCOPE AND DID NOT SHOW ALT. SOON AFTER WE COULD SEE TFC ON OUR SCOPE AT ABOUT 17500 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. WE COMPLIED AND STOPPED OUR CLB AND BEGAN A DSCNT AT ABOUT 17700 FT. BECAUSE OF OUR DSCNT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT; AND THE VERT SEPARATION WAS AT LEAST 1500 FT. WE NEVER SPOTTED THE TFC VISUALLY. THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I WOULD MAKE TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE TO HAVE ATC; WHEN THEY ISSUE TFC THAT THEY THINK COULD BE A CONFLICT; TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE CREW REALIZES THIS.