Some dense fog covers the fall landscape across the northern portion of the CN Iron Range sub as an empty ore train cruises along.

Fall color is showing on the trees lining the old mine dumps near Gilbert, MN as CN 2027 leads an empty ore train north towards U.S. Steel Minntac for loading on this the first official day of fal... (more)

A little fall color is starting to show on the trees lining the old mine dumps near Gilbert, MN as CN 2029 leads an empty ore train north towards U.S. Steel Minntac for loading.

Now that U.S. Steel's Minntac plant is back to running at full capacity train meets between loads and empties between the world's largest taconite plant and Two Harbors are again possible. It's s... (more)

A northbound empty taconite train swings through the yard at Biwabik, MN on their way to load pellets at the U.S. Steel Minntac facility.

CN 2040 is back underway north after a rolling meet with taconite loads heading south on the CN Iron Range sub at Biwabik, MN.

CN 2116 runs north along the Iron Range sub with a destination of U.S. Steel Minntac to load taconite pellets. A trickle down effect starting with soft demand for steel that has production at the... (more)

CN 2032 north passes through the small location/community of Sparta, MN. At one time there was a four track yard here with several branches off the main to serve natural ore pits in the area. To... (more)

Navigating the S-curve CN 2041 north is taking the turn on what was the former DM&N, then DM&IR and now the CN Iron Range Sub passing by the grade of the former D&IR which was abandoned in 1972.

After meeting it's counterpart CN 2006 and their loads, CN 2040 with their empties knocks down the signal at N. Biwabik as they continue on their way north on the way up the CN Iron Sub.

CN 2040 charges north up the CN Iron Range sub on a dreary afternoon to load taconite pellets.

After waiting for a unit oil train to roll south across the Ramshaw diamond in front of them, CN 2015 is back underway towards Minntac just seconds before the sun is lost for the day.

Staring at red signals, CN 2015 and crew is stopped and waiting near the Ramshaw diamond for a southbound oil train that's currently coming down the CN Rainy sub.

Empties north from Two Harbors, MN to U.S. Steel Minntac and then back to Two Harbors, MN. Load, dump, repeat.

Empties from Two Harbors make their way north along the now featureless CN Iron Range Sub near Fayal. Not long ago there were searchlights and code line along here but now the searchlights have s... (more)