Something different...

Maybe you can tell I'm stalling. I've gotten very little done on the Skally Line lately. I painted the Rush City Mill and am getting ready to start adding some details. I added 4 more Tortoise machines to the layout and added a Digitrax DS52 to control the switches on the North Branch Chinook spur. I did start building the North Branch Mill as well. I'll try to get some more done this weekend so I can post more N scale pics soon.

But until then, here are some shots I got driving through Redwing last week. Again it was overcast, that seems to be the trend for me this year...

CP SD40-2 5975 Pulling a southbound manifest, heavy with Canadian Grain cars.

CP GP38-2 4511 idles away in downtown Redwing, probably servicing the local industries today.

The SD's are still out there

Here are some random shots I got back in October around the metro. Enjoy.

BNSF SD39 1913 working Northtown.
BNSF SD40-2 7884 Pulling a ballast train to a bridge project on the St.Paul Sub.
UP SD40-2 3225 waiting for it's next job at Hoffman Yard.

SD40-2 8018 taking a freight out of Northtown.

Hugo Local

I was able to get out and follow the MNNR Hugo Local for an hour with my girls last week. The first shot is just after passing under 35E in Vadnais Heights. A couple of lumber loads and a couple of tank cars are allowing MNNR 42 to build up a decent amount of speed.Later the crew cuts free from some box cars they picked up and get ready to handle the tank cars at Loadmaster Lubricants in Hugo. Someday I'll get some sunshine to take pictures in, today was overcast and snowy.

Railfanning the BNSF

A special thanks goes out to my friend Hans, who was able to show me some great spots to catch trains yesterday. The Twin Cities has such a great mix when it comes to railfanning. Here are some of the highlights...

The Hinckley Local L-TWI8171-21I led by the Dynamic Duo of BNSF GP28Ms 1525 and 1527.

One of the finest engineers on the system, Frank Jordan using the elongated cab BNSF GP50 to get the Monti Local rolling at Northtown.

Snoot nosed SD39-2 1896 working Midway Yard.

BNSF Dash 9-44CW 701 leads the Z-CHCLAU9-20M into the south end of Northtown.

The M-ABENTW1-20A led by BNSF Dash 9-44CW 4888, the BNSF version of a "Bloody Nose" paint scheme.

The BNUP led by GP38 2710 pulling an all grain unit past the bluffs.

A meeting of the Grain Trains. The BNUP meets one of the Pigs Eye MP15AC Bandits.

Blast From the Past

Here is NP 105 (now a MNTX engine) pulling the first boxcar my Dad ever bought me, so many decades ago.

Grass Is Growing

A special thanks to my Dad for picking up the Silfor I needed at the train show in Milwaukee. It has allowed me to fill in the swamp scene on my Sandstone module. I have also painted and installed the first fascia board.

The Northbound local pulling an Atlas Thrall 4750 c.f. hopper.The Southbound Local pulling an Exactrail Trinity 5161 c.f. hopper.