Loaded out and ready to depart the United Taconite Fairlane plant with 144 loads after northbound traffic on the Missabe Sub clears they will head south for Proctor, MN.

After a long trip north and fighting air issues along the way during the -25 degree morning, DM&IR 404 is loaded out and heading back south to Proctor with 140 loads in the -5 degree afternoon.

A trio of B&LE engines roar southbouth down the Missabe Subdivision at N. Fairlane with steaming Minntac taconite pellets trailing.

Still looking good from a somewhat fresh paint job, CN 5264 adds color to the otherwise dreary allbeit interesting lash-up on a NB limestone train for U.S. Steel Minntac.

A BNSF taconite train finishes loading in the early morning hours at United Taconite while the fog and clouds roll in making for a dramatic sky just as the sun begins to rise. Once loaded, the cr... (more)

Rounding the corner just south of Forbes Minnesota, former CNW 8565 and CNW 8560 both in the CN 15 year scheme leads raw ore loads for United Taconite.

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.

BNSF 9624 leads the TexMex through Forbes on a blustery morning, and also sports a creative BN nose logo that was added by a railfan crew member.

How high's the water, mama? Well, it's eight feet high and risin'. A few days after the historic rain that fell across NE Minnesota, the sun is out and it's business as usual as a T-Bird train c... (more)

A T-Bird train carring raw ore from the mine towards the plant crosses over the yet unfrozen St. Louis river during a snowfall.

With an unusual wide cab companion, the #2131 brings another load of rock to United Taconite.

In an interesting power shuffle this technical MRF has 146 loads of taconite and 6 units (2 online) as they rumble through Fairlane. 6 units and still 15 mph below track speed. Save fuel ya know.

Ore connections
A closeup of the drawbar and air line arrangement of a Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range “quad” ore car. These were a set of four ore cars permanently coupled together ... (more)

A T-Bird train pulls out of United Taconite and past several former Missabe ore cars that derailed a few days earlier on the same train. CN has decided to scrap them so they will soon be cut-up an... (more)

A matched trio of BNSF power pulls 59 loads of taconite pellets out of the United Taconite plant and heads toward the CN Keenan yard where they will double the train with another 59 loads and begi... (more)