A T-Bird with 120 loads of raw taconite rock takes the switch at north Fairlane and so begins the approach into United Taconite on a snowy Sunday afternoon.
If two are good then three would be better. A trio of somewhat new to the CN C40-8's bringing with them a whole lot of horsepower to lead a 120 car train of taconite rock south to the plant on a c... (more)
A pair of matched ex-C&NW C41-8s lead a loaded crude ore train towards the Fairlane processing plant.
Dashing through the snow? Still. A pair of the Dash 8's pull taconite rock south as northern Minnesota gets more snow. Still.
Ah Minnesota! May 7th, 2010 brings heavy snow to northern Minnesota but the mines and trains still run. A T-Bird prepares to shove back under the United Taconite load-out and fill these ore cars... (more)
A Illinois Central Death Star leads the last maroon 400 series on the CN roster plus the 98 loads of taconite rock south a early spring afternoon. The snow is almost gone in northern Minnesota al... (more)
Missabe 214 and 210 lead 92 ore loads south towards the Fairlane pellet plant.
Out of 22 rebuilt SD9/SD18s on the former DM&IR, only 308 and 316 remain in service but their days are numbered, along with every other maroon and gold engine.
The replacement of Missabe units with IC SD40-3s continues. Here 6258 leads Missabe SD38-2 No. 210 towards Fairlane with ore loads.
SD38AC 205 leads SD38-2 No. 211 south towards Fairlane with 99 loads and 2 idler cars.
An empty T-bird crude ore train is almost lost in the cloud of steam from a passing Minntac pellet train. If it looks cold it was, -6F on a nearby detector.
