BNSF freight M KLLSUP1 13A and its 65 cars of mixed merchandise traffic kick up a light dusting of snow as they roll east at a swift pace along the Casco Subdivision at Alborn. The train is ducking beneath a plate girder bridge of the long since abandoned DMIR branch line that once ran between Alborn, off a connection with the Missabe Sub, 42 miles northwest to the town of Pengilly. With the rails torn up and gone, the old roadbed now plays host pedestrian traffic as a scenic bike and ATV trail. This train runs once a week between Minnesota's Iron Range and Superior, WI, bringing back cars the railroad's Kelly Lake local (R TWI854) gathers up during its week of work up here in the region. The two EMD SD40-2s have no trouble handling the light weight, 3800 foot train with 64 of its 65 cars being empty, amounting to all of 2300 tons. At Brookston, just a short distance ahead, the train will make a left turn and join up with the Lakes Subdivision for the remainder of its trip to 28th St yard in Superior.
