Auburndale, Wisconsin: 11 NOV '94
WCL e.b. "EJELD" ore loads (raw ore from Auburn Mine) pass under Hwy. 10 headed by three SD45 units: ATSF 5332 (leased to WCL), 6587, 6677. This was a move of raw ore (as opposed to the usual taconite) from, I believe, the Auburn Mine near Virginia, Minn. (any of you R.O.C. experts are welcome to offer corrections!) This move lasted for a few months as I recall, during the Fall/Winter of 1994-95. Viewers can see the fine red ore piled into the ore jennies, and it is this that I wanted to show by using an elevated location. I remember that the roadbed from Steelton (Duluth) to Chicago was stained red that winter! The Santa Fe SD45 was still under lease from them in the early stages of Wisconsin Central's acquisition of them. Santa Fe had a lien on them as I understand it, and couldn't sell them to WCL until the lien was ended. So the units ran around looking very much like Santa Fe had invaded the Upper Midwest, hardly a place where you'd expect it. Only Santa Fe's "castoffs" could look this good!
Auburndale, Wisconsin: 11 NOV '94
WCL e.b. "EJELD" ore loads (raw ore from Auburn Mine) pass under Hwy. 10 headed by three SD45 units: ATSF 5332 (leased to WCL), 6587, 6677. This was a move of raw ore (as opposed to the usual taconite) from, I believe, the Auburn Mine near Virginia, Minn. (any of you R.O.C. experts are welcome to offer corrections!) This move lasted for a few months as I recall, during the Fall/Winter of 1994-95. Viewers can see the fine red ore piled into the ore jennies, and it is this that I wanted to show by using an elevated location. I remember that the roadbed from Steelton (Duluth) to Chicago was stained red that winter! The Santa Fe SD45 was still under lease from them in the early stages of Wisconsin Central's acquisition of them. Santa Fe had a lien on them as I understand it, and couldn't sell them to WCL until the lien was ended. So the units ran around looking very much like Santa Fe had invaded the Upper Midwest, hardly a place where you'd expect it. Only Santa Fe's "castoffs" could look this good!