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| December started off as a cool but relatively dry month with some major winter storms hitting the region towards the end of the month and just before Christmas to bring a nice old fashioned white Christmas. As December came to a close, bitterly cold temperatures continued to have a grip on the northland, setting the stage for a cold January bringing in a good old fashioned Minnesota Winter! |
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| Railroad: Canadian Pacific Locomotive: CP 9824 AC4400 Location: Highway 59 City: Ogema, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: With only some of the lights working, the Holiday Train wasn't quite as bright as past years, but was equally enjoyable. The temperatures hovering in the twenties below zero were making for a rough time for the Holiday Train go'ers. |
| Railroad: Canadian Pacific Locomotive: CP 9824 AC4400 Location: Soo Street City: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: My nephew Darren and I pose in front of the CP Holiday Train at Detroit Lakes, it was 45 degrees below zero with the wind chills. That didn't keep him from smiling though! |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 7517 ES44DC Location: Anderson Road City: Detroit Lakes, MN Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: Racing the sunset west... I think the sun is going to win. The train will cross over at Richard's Spur to pass a parking lot of trains on the West Staples Sub. A derailment in North Dakota and the blizzard haulted many trains on the main. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 7517 ES44DC Location: Anderson Rd City: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: Kicking up some fresh snow, this GE powered Z-train rolls west on the Staples Sub passing the airport and Walmart area on their trip west. Traffic was pretty quite, especially for eastbounds due to a derailment in North Dakota. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 996 C44-9W Location: Just west of Audubon City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: A very low sun angle with the elevated track makes for a nice shot, you can almost get the under part of the engine in good light. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 996 C44-9W Location: Just west of Audubon City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: Four GE's have little trouble even in the bitter cold with this Z-train as they head along highway 10 chasing the sunset. Another Z-train right on the heels of this one would be caught in Detroit Lakes. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5331 C44-9W Location: Downtown City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: The skyline of Audubon isn't much to write home about... you're looking at it. Trains were parked on the mainline due to a derailment in North Dakota and blizzard problems, a train near Glydon hit some drifting and didn't make it through. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 996 C44-9W Location: Just west of Audubon City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: With a very low sun angle, this C44-9W leads this Z-train west on the Staples Sub. I love this spot with the soft evening light, with the elevated grade it is possible to get light parts of the train where you normally couldn't. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5331 C44-9W Location: Downtown City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: Parked on the main... with no where to go. A crewless stack train waits on the mainline, last of about 10 train waiting to head west on the Staples Sub. Z-train were the only thing to run, and they all ran around these parked trains. |
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| Railroad: Canadian Pacific Locomotive: CP 9824 AC4400 Location: South of Waubun City: Waubun, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: Pacing the Holiday Train across the wide open fields along highway 59. Obvious by the full side shot of the train there were quite a few strings of lights that were out and even the lights on the engine were out. |
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| Railroad: Canadian Pacific Locomotive: CP 8761 ES44AC Location: CP/BNSF Diamond City: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: After waiting and waiting for my brother at Perkins, I finally busted away and got to the diamond seconds before this WB freight did. I wish I would have been able to get video of the train as the crew gave an awesome horn show as they passed. |
| Railroad: Canadian Pacific Locomotive: CP 8761 ES44AC Location: CP/BNSF Diamond City: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Date: 12-15-2008 Remarks: A pair of AC GE's are pounding the BNSF diamond on the west side of the Detroit Lakes. I nearly missed this train, but arrived with just seconds to spare. This would be the last train to move on the CP before the arrival of the Holiday Train. |
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| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: County Highway 8 City: Bena, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: It'll be hard for this to not be next year's Christmas Card. I didn't think I would get much drift busting action considering a train just passed through not even an hour before this one did. |
| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: County Highway 8 City: Bena, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: A ONE HORSE OPEN SLEIGH! ...sorry, I had to! It was hell to get ahead of this train before it arrived in Bena. The snow was falling hard and blinding, especially after this train passed by at near trackspeed. |
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| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: Highway 371 City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: I went with a longer shutter speed to get some of the snow streak in front of the camera. The blizzard took a breather for a while as the crews changes crews. An hour later and it would blowing with full force again. |
| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: The conductor that brought this train to Cass Lake for a crew change steps out to do a roll by as the train picks up speed and rolls east. I've watched these guys do this job for years, and days like this remind me why I'd rather be shooting them than working them. |
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| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: Highway 371 City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: With two visiting engines for power on the M-GFDSUP, they are in the process of getting their warrant and will leave shortly. |
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| Railroad: Norfolk Southern Locomotive: NS 7577 ES40DC Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: Throttling up for the trip east on the Lakes Sub. A little exhaust action as the crew throttles up as the embark on their snowy ride to the Twin Ports. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8297 SD75MI Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: The M-SUPGFD waits for the M-GFDSUP to arrive and the crews will swap and had back their respective direction. The snow tappered to flurries for a while when the trains were in Cass Lake, but the cold stayed as evident by the icecicles from the lights. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF SD75I Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-14-2008 Remarks: Taken wtih some telephoto to exaggerate some of the snowfall. Turns out I didn't really have to as a heavier snow squall moves through the area. |
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| Railroad: Northern Lines Railway Locomotive: Caboose Location: St. Cloud Yard City: Saint Cloud, Minnesota Date: 12-13-2008 Remarks: Possibly one of the best looking active cabooses in Minnesota waits for work on the weekend in the snow at the Northern Lines side of things in St. Cloud. |
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| Railroad: Northern Lines Railway Locomotive: RLCX 1703 GP10 Location: St. Cloud Yard City: Saint Cloud, Minnesota Date: 12-13-2008 Remarks: Perhaps it is just the shortline nature of the railroad, but I love these units. |
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| Railroad: Northern Lines Railway Locomotive: RLCX 1704 GP10 Location: St. Cloud Yard City: Saint Cloud, Minnesota Date: 12-13-2008 Remarks: The Northern Lights Railway is a small operation in a big city. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9651 Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-01-2008 Remarks: With a lack of snow, it certainly doesn't look like December... what the photo doesn't show is the bitterly cold temperatures which certainly feels like winter. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9701 SD70MAC Location: County Road 137 City: Ball Club, Minnesota Date: 12-23-2008 Remarks: I could do this all winter, and hope to! I love shooting in the snow, just something that makes a photo pop with fresh snow flying all around the lead locomotive as they race down the track. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9701 SD70MAC Location: Station Sign City: Ball Club, Minnesota Date: 12-23-2008 Remarks: The Station Sign is way back there, nearly covered by falling and blowing snow it is hardly visible. The tracks are starting to get covered by snow as another half foot of fresh December snow falls on the area. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9701 SD70MAC Location: County Highway 8 City: Bena, MN Date: 12-23-2008 Remarks: One of my favorite paint schemes is being ruined. As the BN logo is being patched on the nose of these MAC's, make me like them less. Regardless it looks pretty sharp flying through the snow on the way to Clay Boswell. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8113 / BNSF 8177 SD60M Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-20-2008 Remarks: The one, the only BNSF 8177. The only H1 painted SD60M is secong unit on today's M-train. Hopefully another trip will be had out of these two units and the 8177 leading, that would be a great catch in my book. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9741 SD70MAC Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-20-2008 Remarks: The DPU unit on coal loads waits for a new crew to take them east to Clay Boswell in Cohasset. The train is covered in fresh snow from yet another winter storm. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9371 SD70ACe Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-20-2008 Remarks: The snow and the wind continue to blanket the area as another storm drops almost a half foot of snow. The wind driven blowing snow drifts alongside these 70's. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9371 SD70ACe Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-20-2008 Remarks: Looking like snow has started to pile up on the shoulders of this ACe, a few more inches will pile on before the train departs with a new crew later. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9741 Location: Cass Lake / Pike Bay Narrows City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-22-2008 Remarks: This unit was the DPU pusher on the way to Clay Boswell, but now was reversed and put on the point as the train waits for the M-GFSUP to tie down in the yard. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9371 SD70ACe Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-20-2008 Remarks: In the freezing cold and bitter windchills, I walked a good distance down the line to get these units for a semi-wedige shot. I would have went further but the cold was just too strong and I had to turn back and drive in for a better side shot. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8816 SD70MAC Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-24-2008 Remarks: On Christmas Eve a coal empty waits in the snowy yard as pretty much all rail traffic has slowed to nothing on the Lakes Sub / Grand Forks Sub. Both units are head end power for the coal empty, but one unit was placed on the other cut of cars. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 668785 Bethgon Hopper Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-24-2008 Remarks: You can hardly feel the 20 below zero windchills with this painting! While I think most graffiti is tasteless and distracting, this paint job is simply amazing. Quite a piece of art... |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 2300 GP38-2 Location: Cass Lake Wye City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-30-2008 Remarks: The section gang has been busy this month clearning switches of snow after several winter storms hit the area. A pathetic Cass Lake local waits for a crew with their single car on a chilly afternoon. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 988 C44-9W Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-28-2008 Remarks: In addition to some variety in the power, the load types have also changed quite a bit. While the predictability of the M-SUPMIN and M-MINSUP will be missed, the variety of the trains is a fair trade off. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 988 C44-9W Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, MN Date: 12-28-2008 Remarks: A very nice looking H1 C44-9W had the honors of the M-SUPGFD on this day. Since the train was changed to a Superior-Grand Forks train rather than Minot, the power has been a little more of a variety. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: BNSF 1010 C44-9W Location: Downtown City: Frazee, Minnesota Date: 12-27-2008 Remarks: With a classic church steeple in the background, the Eastbound Amtrak Empire Builder rolls through Frazee on a snowy and cold afternoon... about a dozen hours late. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: BNSF 1010 C44-9W Location: Downtown City: Frazee, Minnesota Date: 12-27-2008 Remarks: With an odd leader, the Eastbound Amtrak Empire Builder rolls east through a quite and cold Frazee. Windchills were in the 30's below zero! |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BN 12605 Caboose Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-30-2008 Remarks: Looks prettty good with a fresh coat of paint... needs a BN logo though. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 975435 Self Powered Crane Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 12-30-2008 Remarks: My guess is they were replacing some broken rail on the Lakes Sub as the flats had some rail on them and they were clearing up there track and time on the Lakes Sub near Schley. |
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