Late in the afternoon, RCPE's Mankato to Aurora train makes its way through the rolling hills of the Buffalo Ridge in Lake Benton. Though it may look like a typical summer day in this photo, the w... (more)

A westbound RCPE train rolls through the hills of the Buffalo Ridge south of Lake Benton, MN. It used to require a good deal of luck to get a train out here in daylight, but with this train regula... (more)

With rail bound for points west, a pair of well worn SD40-2's snake their way out of the valley just south of Lake Benton, MN.

The hills of the Buffalo Ridge make for a scenic setting as a westbound RCPE train rounds a curve just south of Lake Benton, MN.

An eastbound RCPE train passes through Lake Benton as it makes its way through the hills of the Buffalo Ridge on this former Chicago & North Western line in western Minnesota.

Four SD40-2s bring an eastbound Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern train through the hills of the Buffalo Ridge just south of Lake Benton, MN.

MMNAU is seen here West of Lake Benton. We were fortunate that the train showed up when it did. The shadows of the hillsides were rapidly closing in on the railroad right of way.

A westbound Mankato, MN to Aurora, SD train enters Lake Benton while passing the town's namesake lake.

MNAU winds its way through the Buffalo Ridge on the final stretch to Aurora, SD late on this extremely muggy evening. The mosquitoes were an absolute pain at this spot, but it was worth the wait.

The verdant hills of the Buffalo Ridge observe the passing of a westbound train on the former C&NW line to South Dakota.

My 2,000th photo on railpictures: A westbound Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern train makes its way through the hills of the Buffalo Ridge at one of my favorite locations to photograph trains in Minnes... (more)

Three veteran EMDs lead a westbound train through the hills of the Buffalo Ridge near Lake Benton, MN. The lead locomotive is a former Arizona Central SD40M-2, originally built for the Southern Pa... (more)

A lengthy westbound RCPE train curves through the scenic hills of the Buffalo Ridge just south of Lake Benton, MN. Just ahead, they will curve to the northwest and head toward the South Dakota bor... (more)

RCPE 3422 and company drag a decent size train along behind them. They've past through Lake Benton, and are not far from crossing the South Dakota boarder.

Viewed from a bluff in The Nature Conservatory's Hole in the Mountain Prairie, the Tracy turn makes its way back west.