After meeting a northbound intermodal at Kelsey, empty limestone train U71481 02 kicks the snow up south of Alborn as it races towards Proctor on the Missabe Subdivision behind an eclectic mix of General Electric Dash 8 models. The 58 Difco side dumps will be topped off with a fresh load of limestone rock from a ship at the Duluth Docks before turning back north to US Steel's Minntac plant at Mountain Iron in a never ending cycle to feed the hungry blast furnaces. Looking lost amongst the Iron Range's fleet of EMD SD40s and standard cab C40-8s, this old C40-8M "Barn" is an uncommon, yet welcomed, visitor to these parts.
