NSM's mid-day train is about half ways back on its journey to Babbitt for another load.

Having left the mine at Babbitt, MN a few hours ago, the loads of taconite rock are almost to Silver Bay, MN and the processing plant located there.

After just cresting the hill in the background the 11am loads start down hill with a raw ore train for Silver Bay. Two and a half weeks after I took this photo Cleveland Cliffs would announce the ... (more)

Hauling 642 axels and close to 10,000 tons of rock down from the mine at Babbitt to the plant at Silver Bay, the NSM 657 navigates the S curve at M.P. 5 under fall colors as they continue to roll ... (more)

After a major brushing project by the railroad, the entire NSM 1100 loads train is completely visible as they roll towards Silver Bay. The Superior National Forest along with most of the trees o... (more)

Screaming downhill with some classic 9000 EMD horsepower, this train delivers 17,000 tons of taconite rock from the mine at Babbitt to the processing plant at Silver Bay.

Consecutively numbered ex-Rock Island units now leased to North Shore Mining lead taconite rock loads from the Babbitt mine to the Silver Bay plant along the 47 mile NSM mainline which cuts throug... (more)

Consecutively numbered ex-Rock Island units leased to North Shore Mining scream downhill throwing exhaust and heat into the air while holding back taconite rock loads from the Babbitt mine which ... (more)

Perfect Day. Perfect Light. The NSM raw rock loads from the mine in Babbitt roll south towards Silver Bay on a unseasonably warm January day in northern Minnesota.

A lucky shaft of sunlight illuminates the lead units on an ore train.

An empty ore train works hard as it heads upgrade out of Silver Bay.

A a cold Minnesota morning, NSM 657 throws of some heat while leading a half train of empties back from Silver Bay to the mine at Babbit, MN. When it's this cold the railroad usually cuts the tra... (more)

Looking into the morning sun really exagerates the exhaust and snow this train is kicking up.

An interesting motive power combination that includes leased Alaska GP40-2 3004 and NSM SD18 1231 leads 80 empties out of Silver Bay and into a biting wind out of the northwest. The dector at mil... (more)