Framing Up History
Another frame of this spectacular scene that all came together for me, and that I'll forever be grateful for as this photo is all history now.
Framed up by the northwoods fir trees we have a look at a Two Harbors Yard crew on board a U793 train of loaded taconite pellets from Cleveland-Cliffs Minorca Mine which is crawling through the dump building at the prescribed 0.3 may behind a brace of classic GE C40-8s, CN 2000, 2007, and 2020. The trio were built as CNW 8501, 8507, and 8521 in Jun and Jul 1989 respectively for hauling coal out of the Powder River Basin. Later renumbered and repainted as UP 9023, 9030, and 9043 they were part of a large group retired by UP more than 24 years ago. They then served as Citirail lease units for a time until CN purchased the entire fleet between 2010-2012, and later modified a portion of those with straight air for Iron Range ore train service which has explained their unexpected longevity.
Alas after an entire second full career in heavy haul unit train service their time has come to an end as CN has modified 22 (I believe) rebuilt AC446Ms with straight air and has replaced all of these (and the EMDs on the Missabe Sub side) in 2 for 3 replacement schede on all ore trains. According to a good friend and local CN employee the end would come in a bit over a month on October 26th when the last pellet train ran down the Iron Range Sub behind a three pack of Dash-8s.
For even more history and info check out this first post if you missed it: flic.kr/p/2qxRQEq
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Friday September 13, 2024
Framing Up History
Another frame of this spectacular scene that all came together for me, and that I'll forever be grateful for as this photo is all history now.
Framed up by the northwoods fir trees we have a look at a Two Harbors Yard crew on board a U793 train of loaded taconite pellets from Cleveland-Cliffs Minorca Mine which is crawling through the dump building at the prescribed 0.3 may behind a brace of classic GE C40-8s, CN 2000, 2007, and 2020. The trio were built as CNW 8501, 8507, and 8521 in Jun and Jul 1989 respectively for hauling coal out of the Powder River Basin. Later renumbered and repainted as UP 9023, 9030, and 9043 they were part of a large group retired by UP more than 24 years ago. They then served as Citirail lease units for a time until CN purchased the entire fleet between 2010-2012, and later modified a portion of those with straight air for Iron Range ore train service which has explained their unexpected longevity.
Alas after an entire second full career in heavy haul unit train service their time has come to an end as CN has modified 22 (I believe) rebuilt AC446Ms with straight air and has replaced all of these (and the EMDs on the Missabe Sub side) in 2 for 3 replacement schede on all ore trains. According to a good friend and local CN employee the end would come in a bit over a month on October 26th when the last pellet train ran down the Iron Range Sub behind a three pack of Dash-8s.
For even more history and info check out this first post if you missed it: flic.kr/p/2qxRQEq
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Friday September 13, 2024