Sometimes you have to take what the railroad gives you. Northshore Mining loads heading from Babbitt, MN to the plant at Silver Bay, MN reach the half way point of the 47 mile trip.

With a SD40-3 on each end of the train, NSM 651 shoves 28 cars of 'tails' to Babbitt for unloading.

The mosquitos were thick as 6AM loads made way through Toimi, enroute to Silver Bay for unloading. The SD9043MAC's were in for 92 day inspections, giving the older SD's a chance to run the core tr... (more)

6AM loads head east to Silver Bay with a trio of matching SD40-3's.

A trio of SD40-3's lead the 6AM loads by Toimi, as a work train waits in the siding.

Raw ore heads for Silver Bay.

As rain builds and the sky darkens, the 1700 loads from Babbitt, led by two leased CIT (CEFX) SD9043MAC's, are quietly rolling down the NSM main towards Silver Bay.

On their first revenue run for Northshore Mining, two big SD9043MACs lead 156 loaded ore cars towards Silver Bay. NSM has leased this pair for two years.

Tailings train heading to Silver Bay.

Running slightly behind schedule due to the cold weather, NSM 654, 661, 652 and 653 pull their train of taconite rock through the Superior Nation forest on the way to the shores of Lake Superior a... (more)

An empty tailings train heads back to the ore processing plant at Silver Bay with an essence of fall color on the trees.

The sun just peeked over the trees as a pair of CREX ES44s that Northshore Mining is testing this year.

Northshore Mining's unique looking former Reserve Mining spreader clears the south track.

GEs, on short term lease for testing, haul ore to Silver Bay from Babbit,MN. After viewing Dave Schauer"s and Todd M's shots, I decided to try the medium view. This was early on in a very good d... (more)

Cutting through the remaining fog and shadows of a early morning sunrise, two factory fresh big GEs being tested by Northshore Mining pull loads down from the mine at Babbitt through the Superior ... (more)