Drifting back down to Silver Bay from the tailing basin.

Quietly rolling down the west main on a cold winter afternoon half way between the mine at Babbitt, MN and the plant on the shores of Lake Superior at Silver Bay, MN.

A cold winter afternoon at M.P. 28 along the NSM mainline finds a loaded taconite train heading east towards the plant at Silver Bay, MN with what can only be described as a unique consist of a pa... (more)

5am loads catch the only sunlight of the day as they descend into Silver Bay.

Sporting a patriotic air horn painted red, white and blue, this 30 car empty tailings train is just out of Babbitt.

Soon after a tailings train went south, the two CIT leased SD90MACs came up the hill heading to Silver Bay.

Tailings train heads away.

With their 1x1 power configuration, an empty tailings train runs down into Silver Bay among the peak fall colors.

Reaching the approximate half way point on their 47 mile trip between the plant and the mine while passing through one of only three public road crossings on the route.

Pulling up the grade out of the Lake Superior basin, three SD40-3's are barking hard as they pull the empties back inland from Silver Bay to the mine at Babbitt. The NSM nose logo was the frostin... (more)

The empty tailings train coasting back downgrade to the plant at Silver Bay.

Breaking the silence for a moment are three SD40-3's working hard pulling empties back inland from the Lake Superior basin and the plant at Silver Bay back to the mine at Babbitt, MN. Fall colors ... (more)

Pushing the tailings train back to the plant at Silver Bay. Fall colors are at the peak here in northern Minnesota.

Sometimes you have to take what the railroad gives you. Northshore Mining loads heading from Babbitt, MN to the plant at Silver Bay, MN reach the half way point of the 47 mile trip.

One of two leased CIT EMD SD9043MACs leads taconite loads from Babbitt Mn to Silver Bay MN. Shown here at "Railfan Rock".