Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway E.M.D. Covered Wagons
Most of us don't automatically think of the DM&IR Railway when the topic of EMD "Covered Wagons" (F-units) comes up. But if you look closely at this wonderful Bob Anderson photograph (thanks, Bob!) then you might notice full Missabe Safety First logos on the side panels, Missabe style all-weather cab windows applied on both sides of the cab, Missabe style high air hoses have been installed, Missabe style spark arrestors have been added to the exhaust stacks, and even those complicated Missabe "Yellowstone style" inductive train radio antennas have been added to the roofs of these particular covered wagons. In my experience, that brands them as official, rostered DM&IR Railway locomotives.
An informative note that I received almost immediately after posting this image came from Dave Schauer who shared some additional facts about these particular ex-Bessemer & Lake Erie F7s, and another group that arrived later...
"Hi Jeff – I liked Bob’s shot of the B&LE F7s. The info we have [DM&IR Historical Society] on the sixteen F7s from B&LE is that the first batch of eight that arrived in 1954 and the second group of eight that followed in 1958 were leased to the DM&IR and never officially owned, at least not on paper. The first group did have DM&IR heralds applied and other modifications made as [we see in] Bob’s image. The 1961 DM&IR management report has the following statement: “Eleven of the sixteen 1500 H.P. diesel units leased from the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Company were returned to them in March 1961. The five remaining units are being held in storage awaiting disposition." I can check the AFEs in Two Harbors to confirm disposition of the units. Keep the great uploads coming!"
Thanks, Dave. I will.
If the rest of you like this shot then you'll love the color shots I have of these things at the big derailment and pile-up wreck that happened at Pengilly. Dave dug out some facts about this too so when I get some spare time I'll post a few of these slides as they do show what I like to call this "Missabe & Lake Erie" paint scheme in both full color, and good light. I still have some restoration work to do on those images though so, as always, stay tuned.
Good things always seem to come from collaboration with professionals. Thanks again for the extra info, Dave.
Cheers!
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway E.M.D. Covered Wagons
Most of us don't automatically think of the DM&IR Railway when the topic of EMD "Covered Wagons" (F-units) comes up. But if you look closely at this wonderful Bob Anderson photograph (thanks, Bob!) then you might notice full Missabe Safety First logos on the side panels, Missabe style all-weather cab windows applied on both sides of the cab, Missabe style high air hoses have been installed, Missabe style spark arrestors have been added to the exhaust stacks, and even those complicated Missabe "Yellowstone style" inductive train radio antennas have been added to the roofs of these particular covered wagons. In my experience, that brands them as official, rostered DM&IR Railway locomotives.
An informative note that I received almost immediately after posting this image came from Dave Schauer who shared some additional facts about these particular ex-Bessemer & Lake Erie F7s, and another group that arrived later...
"Hi Jeff – I liked Bob’s shot of the B&LE F7s. The info we have [DM&IR Historical Society] on the sixteen F7s from B&LE is that the first batch of eight that arrived in 1954 and the second group of eight that followed in 1958 were leased to the DM&IR and never officially owned, at least not on paper. The first group did have DM&IR heralds applied and other modifications made as [we see in] Bob’s image. The 1961 DM&IR management report has the following statement: “Eleven of the sixteen 1500 H.P. diesel units leased from the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Company were returned to them in March 1961. The five remaining units are being held in storage awaiting disposition." I can check the AFEs in Two Harbors to confirm disposition of the units. Keep the great uploads coming!"
Thanks, Dave. I will.
If the rest of you like this shot then you'll love the color shots I have of these things at the big derailment and pile-up wreck that happened at Pengilly. Dave dug out some facts about this too so when I get some spare time I'll post a few of these slides as they do show what I like to call this "Missabe & Lake Erie" paint scheme in both full color, and good light. I still have some restoration work to do on those images though so, as always, stay tuned.
Good things always seem to come from collaboration with professionals. Thanks again for the extra info, Dave.
Cheers!