Too Soon Junior
CN 8016 leads another of it's SD70M-2 kin down the 1.9% grade of Steelton Hill, between Nopeming Junction, and Steelton, MN, on CN's Superior Subdivision. This line was part of a large doubletrack and line revision project in 2015.
A recent work trip to the mid western United States gave me an opportunity to visit an area that I had never been, but have been keeping an eye on from afar for several years.
The Iron Range of Minnesota is home to some fascinating rail and shipping operations, featuring a the rail to ship 'conveyor belt' of taconite iron pellets being transported from the mines in the region to several ports on the north shore of Lake Superior, for forwarding to steel mills further east. Ever since CN purchased Great Lakes Transportation in 2004, including its rail properties, the Bessemer & Lake Erie, and Duluth Missabe & Iron Range, the area has become a haven for older second, and now third generation locomotives, toiling away likely the last years of their careers on a class 1 railway.
Due to work timing constraints, I only ended up with only a few scant hours in the region over two days, but I was determined to make the most of the that time shooting (hopefully) the 'older' power that I fondly remember plying the mainlines of North America in my youth.
The potential bonus of the timing of the trip was the potential for catching fall colours on the trees in the area. When researching the lines it became apparent right away that most of the photographic angles would have a very similar theme between them. Lineside shots, with the trains hemmed in by the deciduous forest, or shots from the numerous road overpasses. While the focus of my efforts would be documenting the last days of the locomotives, it would be a big bonus to have some colour on the trees to add interest to the potentially monotonous angles.
Unfortunately, unseasonably high temperatures delayed most of the trees from beginning the change in their leaves colours. Despite my best hopes, the timing of my trip was about a week or two too soon. In a weeks time, the trees would put on their show in proper, but that would be well after I had returned to the rainy northwest.
Too Soon Junior
CN 8016 leads another of it's SD70M-2 kin down the 1.9% grade of Steelton Hill, between Nopeming Junction, and Steelton, MN, on CN's Superior Subdivision. This line was part of a large doubletrack and line revision project in 2015.
A recent work trip to the mid western United States gave me an opportunity to visit an area that I had never been, but have been keeping an eye on from afar for several years.
The Iron Range of Minnesota is home to some fascinating rail and shipping operations, featuring a the rail to ship 'conveyor belt' of taconite iron pellets being transported from the mines in the region to several ports on the north shore of Lake Superior, for forwarding to steel mills further east. Ever since CN purchased Great Lakes Transportation in 2004, including its rail properties, the Bessemer & Lake Erie, and Duluth Missabe & Iron Range, the area has become a haven for older second, and now third generation locomotives, toiling away likely the last years of their careers on a class 1 railway.
Due to work timing constraints, I only ended up with only a few scant hours in the region over two days, but I was determined to make the most of the that time shooting (hopefully) the 'older' power that I fondly remember plying the mainlines of North America in my youth.
The potential bonus of the timing of the trip was the potential for catching fall colours on the trees in the area. When researching the lines it became apparent right away that most of the photographic angles would have a very similar theme between them. Lineside shots, with the trains hemmed in by the deciduous forest, or shots from the numerous road overpasses. While the focus of my efforts would be documenting the last days of the locomotives, it would be a big bonus to have some colour on the trees to add interest to the potentially monotonous angles.
Unfortunately, unseasonably high temperatures delayed most of the trees from beginning the change in their leaves colours. Despite my best hopes, the timing of my trip was about a week or two too soon. In a weeks time, the trees would put on their show in proper, but that would be well after I had returned to the rainy northwest.