Just a bit behind a stack train, tonight's Chicago-South Seattle passes a favorite MN photo spot.

These three EMDs are earning their keep struggling out of the Red River Valley in Run 8 at 15 mph. Several more miles of hard pulling lie ahead.

Thankfully this warbonnet has been put out of its misery with a fresh coat of paint. This west bound is exiting a heavy plume of smoke caused by fields being burned north of Hawley.

A coal empty is flying at track speed around the big cut as they head into the Red River Valley. More info at OutstateMinnesota... (more)

One week after this photo was taken, the area would once again be blanketed with over a foot of snow. More info at OutstateMinn... (more)

A hot Z-train works its way downgrade around the curve in Hawley behind a trio of GE's showcasing BNSF's heritage.

After passing an eastbound Z-train (visible on Main 2), BNSF 8103 and its crazy number boards leads coal empties west onto the sweeping curve in Hawley, MN.

Empty coal breezes down grade and into Hawley behind a luminous SD75I. That red and silver looks great when contrasted with the post-winter landscape of western Minnesota. Learn more at more)

In a scene that is played out time after time on the busy Staples Sub in Western Minnesota, a BNSF coal empty rolls west as the pipeline of coal continues to flow east. The second and third units... (more)

A ballast train heading to the flooded SE Minnesota rolls through the big cut with a nice Green Giant on the point near Hawley. M... (more)

As summer wraps up for 2007, I ventured out for some railroad action on the BNSF Staples Sub. Seen here is a Midwest Energy Coal train with a nice looking leader as they make an appearance throug... (more)

The high-priority Pasco - Northtown manifest runs east behind a colorful mix of power. It won't be too much longer before Jack Frost and Old Man Winter have deep snow drifts coming off the north ... (more)

The DilWad (Wadena Local) contiues eastbound with a friendly wave after adding one more car onto it's train in Hawley. This Local will have a busy day all along the Staples Sub in both directions... (more)

Grain empties westbound entering Hawley. Note Chris from C. Visions Productions in the upper right grabbing some video for an upcoming project!