CNW caboose 11037 brings up the end of an ore train as it ducks under M35 near Marquette, MI in August of 1984.

Soo Line's West Yard in Marquette, Michigan has seen better days as it is overgrown with weeds and trees. Once a thriving DSS&A ore facility, decades of idle time have taken its toll. Amazingly, t... (more)

Soo Line 4420 rides the turntable at Marquette, MI in May of 1986

MHM #21 (ex-LSI #21) rests near LS&I's lower yard in May of 1986 as a trio of Alligators watch from the distance. Although they look in rough shape, both steam engines would be saved.

SOO 4406 switches the lower yard in Marquette, MI in May of 1986. 4406 was one of a handful of GP38-2's with red SOO lettering, the rest were black. I wish we had chased this train, but we were af... (more)

CNW 6896 leads an ore train in full Fall colors at Goose Lake in 1988. Almost makes up for the demise of the Alcos on this line.

CNW 6703 brings a cut of cars thru Empire Junction in May of 1986.

CNW 6930 backs past some ancient ore cars as it goes to get the second cut of cars from Empire mine.

Compared to the C&NW, UP's and WC's ownership of the ore lines north of Escanaba were short lived. So seeing a FP45 on a loaded ore train was quite a catch. WC 6654 ducks under the M35 bridge and ... (more)

CNW 8007 skirts the shores of Goose Lake with a loaded ore train in June of 1987. Replacing the Alco C628's, the SD60's were short lived in ore operations.

Photographers flocked to the UP of Michigan to see CNW's fleet of Alco C628's haul ore trains between Marquette and Escanaba. The fleet of EMD's that followed may not have been as photogenic, but ... (more)

LS&I 2401 rests in the Eagle Mills shop in August of 1984.

LS&I brings an empty ore train past Bagdad on the way from the dock to Eagle Mills.

LS&I 2404 heads back to Eagle Mills past Three Lakes with a train of empties.

In a somewhat unusual move, 3 LS&I Alligators bring a coal train up the hill from Marquette to Eagle Mills. It was a bit of a hike to get to the Dead River trestle, but the results were worth it.