BLE 906 and DMIR 409 pause and wait for clearance from the mine operations before they shove under the coarse crusher loadout and begin the process of loading.

BLE 909 leads the way back to Proctor with limestone empties while spring snows fall.

After coming down from Ranier, MN L568 shoves into CN's Keenan yard to do some planned work. When the setouts and pickups are done, it's off to Proctor, MN.

After a quick crew change it was time to get the train back underway. The old girls were barking.

Heading through the landscape with some of last remaining snows still visible trackside. Plenty of it the shaded wooded areas but the open spaces susceptible to the warm sun are becoming snow fre... (more)

A nice-looking pair of BLE motors and a long string of 114 ore cars leave the yard track at the United Taconite plant behind and head back to the mine bathed in that warm afternoon light.

DMIR 400 thunders over the Whiteface River at Kelsey, MN with taconite loads bound for Proctor, MN.

DMIR 409 and GTW 5934 lead a rail train down the main on the Iron Range Sub at Fairbanks, MN while an empty ore train holds in the siding and M.o.W. workers hold in their warm trucks. It was nice ... (more)

Always nice seeing DMIR locomotives and DMIR ore cars on the Missabe sub.

A pleasant afternoon finds two BLE locomotives and train of ore cars rounding the bend south of Iron Jct. about to duck under the Highway 37 overpass heading along the Missabe sub.

BLE sisters have their train loaded out and taking the light at Largo heading to the Fairlane loop track about ten miles away with taconite bearing rock.

Coming off the double track portion of the CN Missabe sub and onto the connecting track for the turn into United Taconite with carloads of rock with DMIR 404 and sister DMIR 406 in charge on this ... (more)

Taking the left turn off the Missabe sub and into the United Fairlane property delivering rock from the mine.

How cool is this in 2022. BLE 906 and sister BLE 909 bring taconite rock loads south and meet up with DMIR 404 and sister DMIR 406 bringing the empties north along the CN Missabe sub.

BLE 909 and sister BLE 906 continue to be paired up (thanks, CN!!!) to move rock from United Taconite's Thunderbird mine coarse crusher down to their plant about 10 miles away where it's made into... (more)