Nice early morning light shines through a break in the trees as two rebuilt GEs pulling ore cars rounds the curve just south of Iron Jct. MN.
Moving rocks from the mine to the plant, these GEs are about a mile into being placed into service by CN replacing the Dash 8s the generally held this job for the past dozen plus years.
Pre sunrise departure after dumping taconite bearing rock at the plant. These two CN 2111 and 2112 were used, stored, brought back to service and have now been retired by CN in the last two years... (more)
Waiting for lights to depart the plant with northern lights all over.
Leaving the yard at United Taconite in the fog.
A pair of rebuilds lead a U730 T-Bird around the bend while L594 waits on the east leg of the wye at Iron Jct. MN. Interestingly enough, The AC44C6M's are replacing the Dash 8's in the CN ore pool... (more)
After coming out of Keenan yard during a power swap, CN 3238 is the new leader of U730 on a T-Bird set. The sun has set on a duo of Dash 8's on this assignment as CN ore pool power is changing.... (more)
Early morning fog shrouds a pair of recently rebuilt AC44C6M's and 96 ore cars as they glide along.
A pair of recently rebuilt AC44C6M's glide over the St. Louis River along the CN Missabe Sub. These rebuilds are now being assigned to the ore pool of the former Missabe.
Shiny new AC44C6M's are taking over the former Missabe as power for ore moves. Here is the first set, assigned as T-Bird power, coming thru the pre-dawn fog out of the yard after dumping 95 cars ... (more)
Shiny new AC44C6M's are taking over the former Missabe as power for ore moves. Here is the first set, assigned as T-Bird power, heading south with rock from the mine heading down to the plant.
CN 2111 comes off the CN Rainy Sub at control point T-Bird and enters the loop at United Taconite's coarse crusher for loading.
Dumped out at the plant and returning to the mine to reload, CN 2112 gets going north on the CN Missabe Sub at Fairlane.
After dumping crude ore loads at the plant, the skies have cleared as the sun sets for the return trip back to the mine.
Coming down the Missabe sub with crude ore loads just barely dodging cloud shadows along the way.