The 5am loads were delayed ~ 3 hours as they pass through a small rock cut a few miles out of Babbitt.

Roaring west at track speed are three SD70ACes and ore cars in tow going back to the mine.

The blue and white of Northshore Mining really stands out amongst the greens and yellows of fall in Minnesota.

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters comes Northshore Mining's 1100 loads from the mine heading to the plant, a ballpark 47-mile trip through the woods of NE Minnesota.

A spring morning with a little snow still hanging on as the loads from Babbitt make their way to the shore of Lake Superior and the taconite plant at Silver Bay.

Almost to the plant at Silver Bay, NSMX 673 is within the last few miles of their trip to the taconite plant and dock on the shore of Lake Superior.

Heading east with rock from the mine on a nice fall afternoon in the woods of northern Minnesota.

The North Shore Mining railroad runs through the woods of northern Minnesota.

A pair of NSM’s SD70ACe’s bringing the 0500 loads down towards Silver Bay

Splitting some old searchlight signals as the empties leave Silver Bay and begin the trip west back to the mine.

Coming out of the yard and beginning the trip west back to the mine.

It's quiet out here except for the 3 big EMD's passing by pulling taconite rock while on their way down from the mine at Babbitt, MN to the plant at Silver Bay, MN.

From the wayback machine: North Shore Mining was testing GEs in the Summer of 2013. Here are two ES44ACs on route to Silver Bay to drop off the 0500 loads.

On an absolutely pristine summer morning in the Superior National Forest, a loaded North Shore Mining train is perfectly reflected in the pond at the Nelson Road crossing near Toimi. Believe it or... (more)

The 0500 loads from Babbitt dodge early morning shadows as they approach the overpass near Toimi, MN.