Oh Deer
Another frame of this spectacular scene that all came together for me, and that I'll forever be grateful for given that it can never be repeated. This one was a treat as a local resident stepped out in front of the train, but no fear, she was never in danger given that the train was moving at a crawl.
This scene had changed greatly in the 16 months since I last photographed it and more changes were rapidly looming on the horizon. Since my last visit in May 2023 the new loop track had been completed which obviated the need to cut inbound loaded trains into pieces to dump. The land clearing and excavation undertaken to build the loop and the new road overpass opened up a much wider view than was previously possible. In addition, to the benefit to photographers the local whitetail population seems to love CN's project as it created several large sloping meadows behind me around the loop, and in fact I saw a dozen more besides this doe.
The town, harbor, and the mighty Lake Superior are all shrouded in a thick marine layer of fog, but the cloud line cuts like a knife's edge through the yard bathing the train in some of the most epic storm light I've ever seen. 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
Oh Deer
Another frame of this spectacular scene that all came together for me, and that I'll forever be grateful for given that it can never be repeated. This one was a treat as a local resident stepped out in front of the train, but no fear, she was never in danger given that the train was moving at a crawl.
This scene had changed greatly in the 16 months since I last photographed it and more changes were rapidly looming on the horizon. Since my last visit in May 2023 the new loop track had been completed which obviated the need to cut inbound loaded trains into pieces to dump. The land clearing and excavation undertaken to build the loop and the new road overpass opened up a much wider view than was previously possible. In addition, to the benefit to photographers the local whitetail population seems to love CN's project as it created several large sloping meadows behind me around the loop, and in fact I saw a dozen more besides this doe.
The town, harbor, and the mighty Lake Superior are all shrouded in a thick marine layer of fog, but the cloud line cuts like a knife's edge through the yard bathing the train in some of the most epic storm light I've ever seen. 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