A trio of CN C40-8s lead a steaming load of iron ore pellets south on CN's Minntac Sub away from the facility in Mountain Iron. It would appear that the lead unit CN 2028 has just been given a was... (more)

A bright leader on a late winter afternoon.

Coming down the mountain with pellets from Minntac bound for Proctor. First arriving in Minnesota in 2005, BLE 909 still is plying the rails for CN in her orange paint. Such a classic girl.

After spending the day dumping limestone at the U.S. Steel Minntac taconite plant ( some of which is visible in the background ), CN 2016 and crew leave the property and head for home back to Proc... (more)

Change on the Range. CN is in the process of replacing its fleet of EMD units assigned to the former DM&IR with C40-8s of C&NW heritage. The first loaded train from Minntac to Two Harbors to be po... (more)

Keenan Switch has just descended Minntac Hill and the conductor gives the engineer hand signs to make the cut, as they will head into Mt. Iron to grab some pulpwood cars. GT 6221 was a nice sight ... (more)

Loaded out and departing U.S. Steel Minntac with 144 cars of steaming taconite pellets bound for the yard at Two Harbors, MN.

The engineer slowly descends the 1% grade preparing to bring this cut of cars to a stop so the conductor can line the switch for a shove back and onto the first cut of cars before leaving for Two ... (more)

Coming down the 1% grade from U.S. Minntac's taconite plant, DMIR 403 glides under the Highway 169 bridge as the run to Two Harbors now begins in earnest.

Illinois Central 1000 comes down the hill from U.S. Steel's Minntac plant with a second cut of loads of blast furnace trim. The train will double onto their first cut, which they shoved into the ... (more)

A heavy overnight fog is still present and the sun has just cracked the horizon to start a new day as DMIR 408 comes down from the U.S. Steel Minntac plant with 96 cars of steaming taconite pellet... (more)

Swinging around the bend and dropping down the hill from the U.S. Steel Minntac taconite plant, DMIR 403 will be in charge of bringing 145 cars of steaming hot taconite pellets to the dock at Two ... (more)

Rounding the bend at Biwabik, MN along the CN Iron Range Sub, DMIR 403 leads 145 cars of taconite pellets south towards Two Harbors, MN on a cold Sunday afternoon in NE Minnesota.

With a air temperature of minus 12 degrees, DMIR 403 leads 145 cars of still steaming marbles off U.S. Steel Minntac property embarking on a few hours trip towards the dock at Two Harbors, MN on a... (more)

All loaded out and ready to depart Minntac for Two Harbors. A few minutes later Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range “heritage” SD40-3 No. 403 leads the train down the hill and into view and thus beg... (more)