An empty BNSF coal trains rolls along the Flathead River en route to Missoula via MRL's 10th Subdivision.

A short transfer easily climbs the nearly 2.0% grade of Steelton Hill as contract workers call it a day laying concrete ties.

Power off a Proctor Roadswitch rests above the ore boat Roger Blough.

This is where a telephoto lens is a must. Although the flanger sign indicates the front blade of this snow dozer will lift to clear a crossing the hard packed snow chunks will still rain down far ... (more)

An empty limestone train drops down the ramp to Missabe Junction while a Proctor Roadswitch spots cars on ore dock 6. The harbor was busy as well with four active ships visible (a fifth ship is in... (more)

EMD's first production SD45 dubbed Hustle Muscle by GN rests at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum along with restored NW-5 192 in 1999. The contraption of the cab roof of 400 that looks like an ic... (more)

Nearly 30 years after E&LS bought five SD9s from bankrupt Minnesota iron ore mining firm Reserve Mining, the units still wear their brown and cream Reserve scheme. Now stored due to more powerful ... (more)

Great Northern SD45 400 "Hustle Muscle" leads the NRHS convention special out of Duluth towards Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

The relatively new paint on 5436 contrasts with the chipped and blistering paint on the ore carrier Roger Blough, which is also owned by CN but operated by a U.S. firm.

A switch crew uses a four-unit road set to position empty ore cars into the outgoing yard at Two Harbors while the CN-owned 1000-footer Edgar B. Speer takes on a load of Minntac pellets.

A pair of BNSF switchers head west to pull a tank car at Tate & Lyle in western Duluth.

A pair of BN SD9s pass by an idled laker in Superior.

On a snowy day a pair of leased GEs spot ore cars on the Lake Superior & Ishpeming dock. The CEFX units represent some of GE's most modern technology while U25C No. 2501, the only U25C saved, repr... (more)

Ore loads meet empties at Biwabik.