SOO SD60's

I just finished a pair of Soo SD60s. Soo 6000 and Soo 6021. I built them as they would have looked in 2007. These were a fun build, that I'm glad be wrapping up. I'll let you be the judges of the final product.

I like how the 6000 has mis-matched front number boards, I think it adds some character.

These got the normal run of details, plus a good coat of weathering.

Now I just need to get them safely to Chicago!

Epic Adventure Pt. 2

Not having made it half way through our first day I had no idea how amazing this trip would be. After battling a never ending onslaught of east bound trains, we finally found a moment of peace in St.Cloud, MN. There were some BNSF GP38s there that we would catch running light a little later, but my favorite piece of motive power in town was Northern Lines Railways (NLR) ex-BN GP10 1411.

Moving north from St.Cloud things got a little light as a couple of WB coal drags made their way up the single track portion of the Detroit Lakes Sub. This one was headed up by a pair of SD70ACe's that we caught up with in Audobon, MN.

After getting our fill of BNSF for the day we turned the car north and under cloudy skies we headed to Ulen, MN to check out ILSX SD40-3 #1341 at the West Central Elevator.

Taking the back roads from Ulen to Thief River Falls we ventured off the beaten path a little. We would point the car at any Prairie Sky Scraper we could see on the horizon. The motto of the trip seemed to be: "Why not? When will we be this close again?" The next turn took us to Hazel, MN to a freshly painted, but not numbered CHS SW1200.

After a good amount of the day on the road, HK and I finally drove through TRF. In town there we found ILSX SW7 #1373 at the local elevator. It was tied up to a scale car, no doubt performing state checks on the lines elevators.

Over at the TRF roundhouse was a fantastic looking spreader, one of several we saw on the trip. CP has spent a few dollars getting ready for snow duty. SOO 900078 looked eager for snow that was a long ways off now.

The Ford Yard

While my camera is off getting looked at by the manufacturer I figured I would take a look back at photos from days gone by. I decided to take a look today at shots from the Ford Yard in St.Paul. This CP yard used to serve the Ford Ranger plant until its closing last year. Now CP uses it for storage and crew training. CP has their own parking lot and two story office at the East end of the yard.
In May of 2009, CP SD40-2 6061 made the run up the hill. There would often be two GP's switching the yard and 2 SD40-2s or GP38s delivering more cars daily. The caboose was almost always in the yard.

Here is what the yard looked like in September of 2011 under a normal work load. Flatcars of Ranger frames and boxcar loads of parts would arrive daily, they would go into the plant via the southern side of the yard (right in this photo). Outgoing loads of Ford Rangers would leave in Autoracks on the North side of the yard. You can see the caboose hiding in the back of the yard by a flatcar load of frames.

In December of 2011 the end was near, but the yard still was in motion. Typical of the power assigned to the yard SOO GP38-2 4409 and another SOO GP38-2 paused for a short break.

 In July of this year CP GP9u 8275 was the training vehicle of choice.

And recently CP GP39-2 4599 and SOO GP39-2 4598 were helping a crew of new hired learn the ropes.

It's nice to know the yard is still seeing use, it's to bad it is not for its intended purpose. Maybe someday there will be new life in those buildings, but it won't be anytime soon. I used the little map gizmo on this post, so if any of you ever want to take a look at the yard, you'll know just where to find it.

Minnesota Bound

Some shots from around town...
MNNR B23-7 #40 works the Fridley Line by Locke Park.BNSF GP39E 2901 and BNSF GP38-2 2264 hold up at Interstate waiting for clearance into Northtown Yard.

SOO (CP) GP38-2 4410 works the CP line in Redwing. She's faded, but still working hard.

BNSF C44-9Ws 5275, 4828 and 5287 blast a grain train by University.