True North Country railroading. In a very rare scene, Northshore Mining heads out to receive passenger cars brought by the CN (Missabe) with big power.
Myself and Kale McConnell spent 20 hours following these cars from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum to Babbitt, MN (for which there are no paved roads into, but thats another 3 stories) Here, in... (more)
A loaded raw taconite train meets up with NSM 653 leading a tailings train a few miles outside of Silver Bay. 653 is ex-UP 3545.
Tailings empties return to the Silver Bay yard. NSM 653 pushes up the rear with 654 on the front end. Lake Superior can be seen on the horizon to the right.
A NSM coarse tailings train waits to begin loading under the load-out silo in the never ending cycle of hauling waste product as the plant makes taconite pellets from taconite rock.
Headed for Silver Bay with 130 loads.
Three blue SD40s lead 130 loads of crude ore east towards Silver Bay under clear skies on a mild (+31F) Sunday.
NSM 650, 650 & 655 head up the grade out of Silver Bay with the empties for Babbit. Time taken: 1756hrs.
Loaded course trailings train with DPU SD40-3s on either end heads towards Babbitt for unloading.
NSM SD40-3 leads a loaded tailings train towards the basin while DPU sister 651 shoves on the rear.
A DPU-powered train of taconite tailings crosses over in front of a passenger extra.
Loaded tailings train heads towards the dumping basin with a DPU SD40-2 on either end.