Flickr!

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

BNSF 1823 East works east through Carlton, MN with the M-KLLSUP a year ago today on Feb. 15, 2019. The 1823 and 1663 are bringing back to Superior the cars that the Kelly Lake Local gathered after a week's worth of work up on the Iron Range. These BN-era searchlights still guard the junction of the Lakes and Brainerd Sub. here in Carlton with no sign of replacements as either subdivision doesn't necessary need PTC

This train's return to Superior with a taconite pool crew has always unpredictable, so nice getting it here on sunny Friday last year.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

Just outside of Carlton, 150 years ago today, Jay Cooke and the Northern Pacific broke ground on what was planned to be the nation's second transcontinental railroad. The Northern Pacific was chartered from Lake Superior to the Puget Sound and construction began right here not far out of Duluth. The NP would eventually make it out west to the Pacific but not without construction and financial problems.

BNSF's Brainerd Local is just out of Carlton with an evening trip to its namesake. Rebuilt GP30 #2801 is the leader west down the Brainerd Sub. here on August 6, 2012. For many years the Carlton County Historical Society has maintained at least two signs here along the Brainerd Sub. to commemorate the NP construction date.

I have to give them credit as seeing the signs here over the years put this date in my head and has led me to do a little NP research.

Here is a link from the Minnesota Historical Society about the trials and tribulations of NP construction:

collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/60/v60i01...

shawn_christie1970 posted a photo:

A few minutes before the sun goes down on the coldest day of the year thus far, an empty Canadian Pacific oil train pulls through the sag in Medina, Minnesota.