While the scenery is blah on an early spring morning, the freshy washed leader certainly adds a pop of color.

Approaching Noimi Jct as they are about to come off the Minntac Sub and onto the Missabe Sub before the left turn onto the Iron Range Sub at Iron Jct. for the remainder of the trip home.

A clean leader leads a trio of dash 8s and 145 cars of iron ore pellets off the Minntac property as the roll towards Two Harbors, MN to complete the trip.

CN 2029 leads U717, a hot load of taconite, against the morning sun at the Highway 33 overhead bridge in Saginaw, MN.

Loads out of Minntac are back on the Two Harbors Sub for the 70 or so miles back to their destination at Two Harbors. The train pokes around the Iron Jct Wye at 10 mph, before getting back up to s... (more)

A trio of Dash 8s pulling 145 cars of still steaming pellets bound for Two Harbors. Another 30 seconds and this shot would have been blocked by a northbound all-rail taconite train that was headin... (more)

A pop of CN red amongst a forest of yellows.

Heading back to the mine for more taconite pellets.

A trio of C40-8's lead empty Canadian National ore train U792 from Two Harbors as it approaches Iron Junction, Minnesota. This train will take the north leg of the wye to get on to the Missabe ... (more)

Taconite loads rolling south for the yard at Two Harbors, MN

Heading south along the CN Iron Range about to fly over the Ramshaw diamond with steaming taconite pellets bound for Two Harbors.

Humid enough to create that steaming pellets effect on this early morning departure from the U.S. Steel Minntac plant as they travel back to Two Harbors, MN.

Ripping along the CN Iron Range sub at track speed about to split the signals at Jones as they head back to Two Harbors.

A loaded taconite train from the Minntac plant gets a roll-by from the crew of the Keenan local job at Biwabik. The taconite pellets are headed to Two Harbors while the local will do their work a... (more)

Train U717 heads south from UTAC with loads for Proctor. CN 2029 leads the steaming ore train through Kelsey, MN.