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Missabefan posted a photo:

A train from Minntac rolls through Sparta on the main and the searchlights ahead indicate there will be a meet with a northbound that's coming into the siding at Jones.

Missabefan posted a photo:

IC 6264 leading U-792 quietly rumbles along the Iron Range Sub just before sunrise.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

BN 7159 and 3 others start their eastbound trip out of Northtown Yard on an October afternoon. Still looks pretty much like a late BN scene here at 35th with all the power here including the BN SD9s resting between Pullout duties. The only thing that points to BNSF is headlight on the 7159. Some BN engines got the Santa Fe influenced nose headlight pretty quickly after the merger, before paint or patching.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

Each spring usually finds the rock trains running out of St. Cloud again. Such was the case back 20 years ago in April 1997 as an eastbound ballast train rolls through Becker, MN with SP 8569 and BN 2773. Back in the 90s, the ballast trains out of Cloud could have some interesting consists and this one is not exception with the filthy SP SD40T-2. No 1x1 ballast trains back then as if this train needed to reverse at the work site, it had a caboose back at the end.

This was the view at the west end of the Becker interlocking when it was the east end of double track. The welders had just cleared up here at the equilateral switch. Signals here were tri-lights and not the searchlights that BN put at the EBCS Becker.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

Later in the morning, after EMD 9040 diverged into the plant, the DS straightened the route and this eastbound manifest rolled through. I think this was a Laurel to Northtown train.

The lead Dash 2 was an early SD40-2 model, but it still works for BNSF, still in tired green. It did spend some time around Minnesota and Superior in 2011-2012 as the #1848. The trailing two Oakways are now on CN proving older EMDs don't always die.

BN 6924 East, Becker, MN, July 2001.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Mixed train rolls over the French River east of Duluth MN.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Upgrade at Palmer.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

It is 2017 but it could be the late 1950's. Marble Siding Two Harbors MN.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Posing for photographers at Palmers.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Putting on a show for the fans at Little Sucker River bridge.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

To make steam one must have water. No water plug as pumper truck at hose will do.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Photo taken with permission.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Algoma Marine's Chinese built bulker Algoma Equinox tops off its holds with ore while American Ship Building company built Roger Blough wait for the slip to open.

K.W. Rengo posted a photo:

Shuttle boom 13 is topping off the holds of the Algoma Equinox at Two Harbors MN.

Missabefan posted a photo:

In a change of scenery, CN 2112, which is usually in T-Bird service, finds itself tied to a ballast train in the yard at Virginia.

Missabefan posted a photo:

DMIR 403 south rumbles past the old searchlight signal at M.P. 68.5 on the Iron Range Sub.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

A pair of Oakways pulls a Becker load, with a mix of WFAX and BN coal cars, off the mainline and towards the plant back in July 2001.

Not as much intel back in 2001, but you could still trace BN coal cars and find Becker coal loads. Went out early on this morning when I still lived in the Twin Cities hoping for BN SD60Ms, but got this pair of clean Oakways. Glendive always kept their coal power looking pretty good back in the day, so I had visions of clean Green Giants before these came around the corner out of Clear Lake.

The BN-era signals here are gone as BNSF has since put the double track back through Becker. Coal trains still run into Becker, but now would probably have AC power in a 2x2 configuration. They put less horsepower on the coal trains that ran in Minnesota back in 2001.

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

The CN SD60s were all over the Missabe Sub. back in 2013-2015 but then disappeared practically overnight.

In their former life as Oakways, they visited the Twin Ports regularly on BN/BNSF coal trains. I never appreciated those leasers, but got quite a few shots. Here a trio reaches the east end of the Brainerd Sub. at Chub Lake (Carlton) and has about 30 miles to go before ending their trip at the yard in Superior. EMD 9060 East with Detroit Edison coal loads at Carlton, MN, back over a decade ago in November 2006.

The searchlights remain here, but BNSF took down the Carlton Jct. station sign. I always thought that BN station sign was confusing at it was right at the control point called West Chub Lake.

The leader now works as CN 5423 and looks better now IMHO and would love if CN would send more 5400s our way.

Missabe Road posted a photo:

The classic laker Algosteel eases under Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge, which is bathed in a teal color to promote ovarian cancer awareness (Enger Tower is also illuminated in this color for the weekend).

Kevin Madsen posted a photo:

Q119 rolls under HIghway 33 with CN SD60s 5485 and 5421 as power on Sept. 20, 2017. Been a long time since I have shot a CN SD60 in the lead, over 2 years. Couldn't count how many CN trains I have shot in the meantime so nice seeing this pair rolling north on the former Missabe.