Three tunnel motor rebuilds - 415, 413, and 405 - sound awesome while striding limestone empties out of the Cloquet River basin at the Bear Trap Road curve. The 415 was isolated, though. :-(

One of today's Hill Jobs, powered by SD38-2 209 (built 3/75), SD38AC 203 (built 6/71), and SD40-3 410 (ex-HATX SD45T-2 930, nee-SP 6771, SP 9200, built 3/72) pull limestone empties onto the BN to ... (more)

A T-Bird job powered by SD-M 316 (ex-SD18 186, built 4/60) and two SD38-2s (213 and 210, built 3/75) shove raw ore empties from Fairlane into the yard at Keenan. Soon, a different set of empties ... (more)

The daily Northtown-Laurel manifest accelerates west from Willmar behind a handsome SD40-2 and two very appropriate 'run-through' cousins (264 and 322). The third unit's 20 cylinders sounded grea... (more)

The Marshall local makes a dash for Marshall to clear up for a parade of northbounds behind two rebuilt GP28s with neat histories, both rebuilt by BN from former (ex-CB&Q) GP9s.

The Marshall local climbs out of the Minnesota River valley, dashing for Marshall to clear up for a parade of northbounds behind two GP28 rebuilds with neat histories: -28P 1596 and -28M 1537 (ex-... (more)

A vacation bonus was chasing the last two unpatched C&NW units from Valley Park down to Mankato on the former C&NW, leading the daily Des Moines manifest. Trail unit is 8646. Fighting clouds mos... (more)

The "helpers" off of Robinson Run Turn T104-11 head back out the Westbound towards the "D" Tower interlocking to cross over to the Eastbound for access to the shops. Shot through one of the arche... (more)

Actually the B297-11 "helper," SD70ACe 4850 brings up the rear of 100 Bostwick loads from Robinson Run, yarding on 75 track at 1738. Rob Run Turns run double-headed due to the reverse moves requi... (more)

An A&O slug set, with RDSLUG 2100 (ex-SOO GP35 730, built 5/65) and mother "GP40-3" 2121 (ex-CNW GP40 5533, nee-CR 3045, PC 3045, NYC 3045, built 12/65), pull empties off 96 track for the Cowen Su... (more)

Old and new: A General Railway Signal Company electric switch lock guards the lead to the Adams Industrial Track next to a brand new SD70M-2. I'll take the electric lock. :-)

EDRJ crosses the Deerfield River, enters the Mohawk Trail State Forest, and starts climbing toward Hoosac Tunnel, five miles away. The Rte. 2 overpass is visible in the background.

After tying the train down in the yard, the power off of the WASE heads through the interlocking to get over to the shop.

On the approach to East Deerfield, the WASE eases through Lake Pleasant, now down to two operating engines.

WASE slowly drifts down the Millers River grade, splitting the grade signals at Farley Rd., seemingly under a never-ending slow order.