With the overnight frost still evident on this cool morning, BLE 909 leads 140 cars of taconite pellets through what's left of the fall color season in northern Minnesota.

The morning fog that was so vision restricting a few hours ago has mostly burned off now as the U-791 from U.S. Steel Minntac to Two Harbors cruises track speed passing some CN M.O.W. people inclu... (more)

A nice warm spring morning and a clean leader pulling ore cars rolling past some classic searchlights.

Heading back from Two Harbors, CN 6024 north takes the running track at Jones to meet DMIR 403 south.

The miscellaneous road freight (MRF) rolls north from Two Harbors headed to the CN Keenan yard with extra power, loads of smart siding from the Louisiana Pacific plant and empty bentonite hoppers ... (more)

Empties heading back to the plant.

The story of the former Missabe railroad is long pellet trains from the mines to the docks and much shorter trains that served businesses that served those mines. After CN took over it's still ve... (more)

A week ago it was clear and minus 40 degrees and now today, a week later, it's overcast with a light rain falling and 37 degrees as DMIR 407 runs track speed towards Two Harbors no longer under th... (more)

Empties for the Minorca mine slow to take the siding at Jones to meet loads coming south from the Minntac mine.

A little bit of everything and all EMD at the same time. Illinois Central, Bessemer and Lake Erie, Illinois Central in death star black and Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range all represented on this... (more)

DMIR 403 leads 604 total axels northbound at track speed thru Jones as the trip up from the ore dock at Two Harbors continues to U.S. Steel's Minntac plant for more taconite pellets.

Maroon & gold leader pulling empties. Chased this one from Highland Lake. Worth it.

BLE 900 leads it's train back north from Two Harbors to U.S. Steel Minntac to reload with taconite pellets.

The hot taconite pellets mix with the cold Minnesota winter air obscuring the train except for the first few cars as the U-789 rolls through Gilbert on the CN Iron Range Sub.

The snow is tapering off as IC 6255 storms north to load at the west pocket and weigh at the east pocket of U.S. Steel Minntac before returning to Two Harbors under the cold weather operations rul... (more)