Starting With The Basics
Our trip to the iron range bore fruit before it even began, and then we finally got there - just in time for our first proper catch of the trip! A hill train with limestone, later bound for the Tac-plants to the north, is led up the legendary Proctor Hill by CN2029/BLE906/IC6256/CN2025. Two Dash 8s, a Bessemer tunnel motor, and a repainted IC SD40-3 make for one hell of a fine introduction to the Missabe. We were making our way back up the hill from shooting something on the Rainy when ATCS alerted us to this train - it made for a bit of a race back up the hill to get here in time!

Part of me wanted to avoid just shooting the classic shots that everyone does, but then the rest of me knew that these spots and shots are classics for a reason. Why would everyone take shots of a similar thing if they were bad? Sometimes, going with the basics is the right way to go. Especially when the basics let you listen to screaming EMDs and GEs. Mmm, what a fine sound that was. And what an intro! If only we knew what we had in store for us the rest of the weekend...
trains railroad railroadphotography railways c408 ble bessemer sd40t3 sd45t2 sd403 illinoiscentral ic cn canadiannational missabe ironrange ironmining proctor proctorhill duluth minnesota snow winter limestone