Christopher Muller

June 2008: BNSF MERC reroute action and some DMIR to boot

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Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9142
Location: Division Point: Grand Forks Sub / Lakes Sub
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-09-2008
Remarks: Crews work to make emergency repairs to the lead unit on this Clay Boswell coal empty. The train struck a SUV between Cass Lake and Bena, sadly killing everyon in the vehicle.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 1507
Location: Station Sign
City: Wilton, Minnesota
Date: 06-13-2008
Remarks: Rain showers fall as the Cass Lake local breezes past the Wilton Station Sign.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9132
Location: Cuba Hill
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-14-2008
Remarks: The trains certainlly take off a lot faster up Cuba Hill when there is a DPU unit pushing on the rear.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 1507
Location: East Siding Switch
City: Wilton, Minnesota
Date: 06-13-2008
Remarks: A very typical Cass Lake local rolls through Wilton as rain showers started up again.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 6104
Location: Pike Bay Loop Road
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-14-2008
Remarks: I've wanted to try this shot for quite a while. The train just did a crew change at the crossing and the train slowly pulled to the crossing. I stood here for 10 minutes in the heat and humidity with an assault of mosquitos with no cars, one pulled up just in time...

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 401
Location: Birch
City: Alborn, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: A taconite empty is in the hole at Alborn to let this United Taconite train roll on south on their way back to Proctor.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9142
Location: Division Point: Portage Drive NE
City: Bena, Minnesota
Date: 06-09-2008
Remarks: Compared to the car it hit, the damage to the BNSF 9142's front is very minimal

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9142
Location: Division Point: Grand Forks Sub / Lakes Sub
City: Bena, Minnesota
Date: 06-09-2008
Remarks: A very sad reminder to Look-Listen-Live. Emergency crews from Leech Lake, Cass Lake, and Federal Dam remain on scene. The State Patrol will assist in the investigation and even use a helicopter to assist in the investigation.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 1507
Location: Station Sign
City: Rosby, Minnesota
Date: 06-13-2008
Remarks: Rain showers have ended briefly as the Cass Lake local strolls west on the Grand Forks Sub, heading back to Grand Forks.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 6104
Location: Pike Bay
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-14-2008
Remarks: I was surprised at how slow this train was moving along the shores, then I realized the train was going to do a crew change at the Pike Bay Loop Road which allowed me to catch the train again.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9278
Location: Irvine Ave
City: Bemidji, Minnesota
Date: 06-16-2008
Remarks: I missed the head end power, but made it on the bridge and was able to park with just a few seconds to spare to grab a shot of the DPU unit pushing on this MERC coul reroute on the Grand Forks Sub.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9278
Location: Great Northern Depot
City: Bemidji, Minnesota
Date: 06-16-2008
Remarks: The DPU unit of a MERC coal train pushes past the restored Great Northern Depot in Bemidji.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 8132
Location: Cass Lake Yard
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-16-2008
Remarks: A coal train waits for a crew to head west in Cass Lake Yard. Hard to believe this yard was once the biggest in Northern Minnesota.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9278
Location: Farden Township
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-16-2008
Remarks: Since the train had to stop because they needed an additional track warrant, I was able to get ahead of the train for one more shot of the DPU unit.

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 402
Location: Bear Trap Road
City: Saginaw, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: After spending the day riding the North Shore Scenic and looking at all the train at the Depot in Duluth... my nephew and I chased this taconite empty north to the Iron Range.

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 402
Location: Birch
City: Alborn, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: Taconite empties on the move again after a meet at Alborn.

Railroad: Duluth Missabe and Iron Range
Locomotive: DMIR 413
Location: CN Overpass
City: Munger, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: Limestone empties roll south on the former DMIR under the former DWP. Sad that both railroads are now property of the Canadian National.

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 402
Location: White Face River
City: Kelsey, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: Slowing for a speed restriction over the Whtie Face River, these former DMIR motors will click and clack over the bridge.

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 402 / DMIR 406
Location: White Face River Bridge
City: Kelsey, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: Crawling over the bridge, these SD40-3's have little trouble with their 80 taconite mini-quads. The only thing could've made this scene better would be a classic Missabe paint scheme, vs the noodle...

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 408 / DMIR 412
Location: Iron Junction
City: Iron, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: Waiting for a taconite train to pass in front of them at Iron Junction, one of the very few non-ore trains on the former Missabe will get stabbed by a CN core train at Ramshaw before they can work east.

Railroad: Canadian National
Locomotive: DMIR 409 / DMIR 407 / DMIR 403
Location: Ramshaw
City: Iron, Minnesota
Date: 06-17-2008
Remarks: A Minntac I/D taconite train is about to bang the diamond of the former DWP at Ramshaw. The DMIR 403 will be the last Maroon and Gold SD40-3 to be retired.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 8976
Location: Cass Lake Yard
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-21-2008
Remarks: A Clay Boswell coal train waits in Cass Lake Yard for a crew to take them to Cohasset. Of all the DPU units that have come through Cass Lake, this is the only one I've caught with the cab facing the rear.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9175
Location: Cass Lake Yard
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-24-2008
Remarks: Coal empties wait for a crew in Cass Lake Yard.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 5920
Location: North Shore of Pike Bay
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-24-2008
Remarks: After spending several hours out on the lake with plenty of sun, a train rolled through just as the evening clouds developed.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 6349
Location: Station Sign
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-22-2008
Remarks: Normally I wouldn't shoot on the dark side of train, but the Station Sign contrasted the darkness very well.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 8920 / BNSF 9452
Location: Rosby
City: Bemidji, Minnesota
Date: 06-26-2008
Remarks: While I was on my way to work, I heard the BNSF MP 93 detector go off... knowing I wasn't chasing a train, I knew it had to be coming towards me. I turned off quickly and had just a few seconds, didn't even get out of the car for this shot...

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 9282
Location: Rosby
City: Bemidji, Minnesota
Date: 06-26-2008
Remarks: An ACe working in DPU pushed hard on a Clay Boswell coal train as they gain speed after slowing for a speed restriction.

Railroad: Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Locomotive: BNSF 6020
Location: Division Point: Grand Forks Sub / Lakes Sub
City: Cass Lake, Minnesota
Date: 06-27-2008
Remarks: As luck would have it, just as the power passed by, the sun came out with amazing storm light. My nephew enjoyed waving at the crew as they drove by blasting their horn and waving back.