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| January was a bitterly cold but relatively dry month. We received only a couple inches of snow the entire month, but remained below freezing for all but the last day of January. We also had a stretch of frigid weather which knocked us below zero for nearly a week. One railfan trip was made to the Staples Sub which resulted in a great day trackside! |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 4452 C44-9W Location: County Highway City: Lake Pakr, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: So I thought this angle would look pretty good, well, I was wrong. Not my favorite spot, but still had to GTS. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5785 ES44AC Location: County Highway City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Had to shoot the GEVO passing the barn along the Staples Sub. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5785 ES44AC Location: County Highway City: Lake Park, MN Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: This GEVO=FAIL. The cold weather killed the GEVO rendering it dead in tow as the train crawls out of the Red River Valley at a blistering 10mph. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9804 / BNSF 9402 SD70MAC Location: County Highway City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: SD70MACs pull hard on coal loads as they roll over a county highway crossing at a blistering 10mph due to a dead GEVO on the end of the train. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: AMTK 67 P42DC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Amtrak is a real treat to shoot, espeically in western Minnesota as the train normally moves through in darkness. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: AMTK 67 P42DC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: The perfect frame... Amtrak rolls west half a day late as they pass through Lake Park. The crew still gave us a nice shave and a haircut as they past. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: AMTK 67 P42DC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: I wanted to shoot the train splitting the signals, but the angle just wasn't working, so I went for a different shot of the train splitting the signals. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9804 / BNSF 9402 SD70MAC Location: County Highway City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Crawling east on the Staples Sub, these 70MACs look cold. |
| Railroad: Amtrak Locomotive: AMTK 67 P42DC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: With nice winter shadows creating a "dark side of the train" Amtrak rolls west. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 795 C44-9W Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Passing under state highway 32, this manifest is having no trouble keeping track speed as they work west on the Staples Sub. |
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| Railroad: Kansas City Southern Locomotive: KCS SD70ACe Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: I was surprised to see a KCS ACe helping this BNSF GEVO as they slide down the hill in to the Red River Valley. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5907 ES44AC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: One nice thing I like about the Lake Park s-curves is you can get a semi-decent going away shot. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9376 SD70ACe Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Another far stretching going away shot of a coal empty. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5907 ES44AC Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Gotta love long winter shadows. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8922 Location: Richards Spur City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: A DPU pusher is rolling easy on the end of this coal empty as they roll through kicked up snow from their train along with a coal load that just passed. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9376 SD70ACe Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: I hate to say it, but these ACes aren't nearly as fun to shoot when they are crusty, especially when hooked up with a faded POSUM. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9375 SD70ACe Location: Richards Spur City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Three SD70ACes meet near Richards Spur on a bitterly cold morning. The cold would last all day and so would the train action! |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9376 SD70ACe Location: S-curves City: Lake Park, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: I hope this ACes isn't scared of his shadow. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9375 SD70ACe Location: Richards Spur City: Audubon, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: The extremely low sun angle reflects the reflective material on this ACe as they pull hard on their coal train about to cross the crossovers at Richards Spur for a trip to Wadena where they will enter full CTC. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9628 SD70MAC Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-03-2009 Remarks: My first train shot of 2009... a fiarly nice looking SD70MAC, but it just doesn't look right without the BN logo on the nose. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9877 SD70MAC Location: Cass Lake Yard City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-12-2009 Remarks: With the Cass Lake water tower in the background, this coal empty is tied down in the Cass Lake Yard and won't be going anywhere soon. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 3010 GP40M Location: Cass Lake Wye City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-12-2009 Remarks: The Cass Lake local is tied down on the wye in Cass Lake as they wait for a crew to take them west after darkness. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9215 SD70ACe Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: The last shot on a great day railfanning as coal loads chug out of the Red River Valley and head for a cold trip across the Staples Sub. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9215 SD70ACe Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Coal loads work east on the Staples Sub as the wind driven snow and bitter cold temperatures continue as the sun begins to set. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9203 SD70ACe Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: I love it when DPU trains are assembled this way... makes for a great going away shot when the engine is nose outward. I remember how excited I was to see a SD70ACe for the first time... I think I saw a dozen or so today. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8865 SD70MAC Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: Long winter shadows and cold back light make for a shot. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 795 C44-9W Location: Manitoba Junction City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: A quick moving manifest blasts under the county road overpasses east of Hawley near Manitoba Junction. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 4617 C44-9W Location: Grain Elevator City: Ulen, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: First time I've ever shot a unit grain train at Ulen. The train would have been a great chase south back to the Staples Sub as the line was heavily drifted in at areas, but the bitter temperatures and drifting snow made for a run in darkness. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 8865 Location: Trenches at Hawley City: Hawley, Minnesota Date: 01-04-2009 Remarks: After the passing of a manifest that was moving at a pretty good clip, quite a bit of blowing and drifting snow made a mini man made blizzard. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 6256 ES44AC Location: Downtown City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-23-2009 Remarks: With all the grain you can handle... I shot some hoarfrost as this DPU GEVO pushes on coal empties through Cass Lake Yard. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5751 ES44AC Location: Farden Township City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-23-2009 Remarks: Coal loads wait for the switches to get lined back to the main and then they'll be off to the west. I waited for the train to finally arrive, but it was too dark for photos but I still shot some video. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9376 SD70ACe Location: Pike Bay Loop Road City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-28-2009 Remarks: The new face of the modern day BNSF coal train. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5759 ES44AC Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-28-2009 Remarks: The BNSF M-SUPGFD is tied down on the main waiting for a crew on a chilly overnight, the light was powered by the "depot" at Cass Lake. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9401 SD70MAC Location: Station Sign City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-25-2009 Remarks: The worst thing you can do to a SD70MAC is put one of those hidious round BNSF logos on the nose! Coal empties tied down in the Cass Lake yard. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9401 SD70MAC Location: Division Point of Grand Forks and Lakes Subs City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-25-2009 Remarks: While shooting the DPU unit on coal loads, I saw the headlight of coal empties a mile and a half ahead and decided it was worth a shot. Once tucked away in the yard, the coal loads will pass on the main and head east. |
| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9161 SD70ACe Location: Division Point of Grand Forks and Lakes Subs City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-25-2009 Remarks: ACe's Butt! DPU unit on coal loads just to the west of Cass Lake. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 5751 ES44AC Location: Pike Bay Loop Road City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-28-2009 Remarks: This GEVO is pushing hard on coal loads as they make the journey up Cuba Hill on the Lakes Sub. The DPU operation is one that I find absolutely fascinating and am delighted now that most of the coal trains are operating this way in the northland. |
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| Railroad: BNSF Locomotive: BNSF 9376 Location: Ketchum Road City: Cass Lake, Minnesota Date: 01-28-2009 Remarks: One of the few snowfalls in January came at the same time as this coal train heading east on the Lakes Sub after they finished the climb up Cuba Hill. The heaviest snow squall came right at the perfect time. |
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