I was up early again, putting corrections into my stories and uploading them before going to breakfast in the lobby of the Best Western. After naming some more pictures, I took the Duluth Skywalk and stopped for some Coca-Cola on the way to the Duluth Union Station, where joined the queue for today's steam trip.
NRHS members in line for the trip to Two Harbors.
Soo Line 4-6-2 2719 came from around the train and reversed onto it then pulled forward and the first class passengers were boarded first before the coach passengers. I chose a seat in the open window car.
The interior of Duluth & Iron Range 84 seat coach 33 built by Pullman in 1918. It was retired in 1962 and donated to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in 1976.
Our train consisted of Soo Line 4-6-2 2719, Duluth Missabe & Iron Range business car "Northland", Duluth Missabe & Iron Range combine W-24, Great Northern diner 1250 "Lake of the Isle", Lake Superior Museum of Transportation baggage car 1000, Great Northern coach 1115 "Liz Prebich", Great Northern coach 1116, Northern Pacific coach 517 and Duluth & Iron Range open window coach 33.
Our train left Duluth by reversing to the switch in order to go to Two Harbors. The Duluth-Two Harbors line was built in 1886 for the Duluth & Iron Range. It runs north east and is always within a few hundred yards of Lake Superior. Once the track gets out of Duluth, the way side is mainly wooded but, occasionally, there are views of the lake. The D&IR was formed in 1874 to haul iron ore from the Minnesota Iron Company's mine in Soudan, Minnesota to Two Harbors. The railroad was acquired by Illinois Steel in 1887, which became part of the United States Steel Corporation in 1901. In July 1938, the D&IR merged with the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway to form the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway.
Over the years the Duluth-Two Harbors line carried freight and passengers and, during the boom years, many thousands of logs to sawmills in Duluth. In 1953, steam hauled passenger trains were replaced by a single diesel Budd Car and then, in 1961, all passenger services ceased. In the early 1980's, with declining business, the DM&IR applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon the Duluth-Two Harbors line, but members of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, recognising its historic significance, lobbied to create the St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority, and bought the line with the help of the State of Minnesota. On 8th June 1989, the Lakefront Line was renamed the North Shore Scenic Railroad and was officially dedicated by Governor Rudy Perpich.
Passing more of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum's collection.
We reached the switch then started forward to Two Harbors.
Passing underneath Interstate 35, which we would parallel out of town.
Scenes running below Interstate 35.
The north end of the Interstate.
A new hiking/bicycle trail is being put in on the north side of the tracks.
We made our way out of Duluth for the rural countryside of the North Shore. About ten minutes later, the first photo runby of the trip was announced.
The reverse move.
Photo runby one. SOO Line 4-6-2 2719, built by American Locomotive Company in 1923. It ran until the mid-1950's, when it was put into storage then came out of retirement to haul the last steam train on Soo Line tracks on 21st June 1959, a round-trip from Minneapolis to Ladysmith, Wisconsin. It was then given to the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for display in Carson Park. In May 1996, the Locomotive and Tower Preservation Fund began restoration and, two years later, 2719's first steam run was held on 19th September 1998. In June 2000, it was moved to the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Spooner, where it ran summer excursions until 2003.
During the off season, 2719 was stored at the Altoona, Wisconsin, roundhouse but, with the roundhouse levelled in June 2004, it sat outside exposed to the elements until the end of 2006, when it was moved to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. After extensive work during the summer of 2007, the engine was test fired on 24th August 2007, and made a successful round trip from Duluth to Two Harbors the following day. It began making excursions for the North Shore Scenic Railroad in September 2007, on lease from the Locomotive and Tower Preservation Fund, Ltd. 2719 now runs regular excursions each summer for the North Shore Scenic Railroad through Duluth, Canal Park, along the Lake Superior shoreline to Two Harbors, and into the North woods.
We all reboarded the train for this unique excursion.
Views looking back.
Crossing the Talmadge River.
Rolling through the forest as we headed northeast.
Passing through Knife River.
Passing under the Canadian National line into Two Harbors.
Approaching Two Harbors.
Curving into the town to the switch which would enable us to reverse into the station.
Once the switch was thrown, our train reversed into Two Harbors.
The former Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad, now Canadian National, yard.
The former Missabe roundhouse built in 1888, which is falling apart from age and having been vacant for over twenty years.
The Canadian National ore docks.
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An ore ship arriving at the docks.
Great Lakes freighters are certainly massive.
Our train arriving at Two Harbors.
On display west of the station is Duluth and Iron Range 2-6-0 3 built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883 for Tehuantapec Interocean Railway, but was refused for technical reasons. In need of a locomotive to help lay rails from Two Harbors, the D&IR purchased. Known as "3 Spot", it steamed to Duluth under its own power and was then lashed to a barge for what turned out to a very rough trip to Two Harbors, then known as Agate Bay. The engine was the only wood- burning locomotive ever to operate on the D&IR. It could take fuel from the plentiful adjacent forests and water from the many local rivers and streams as it hauled rails, supplies and equipment from Agate Bay up to the railhead.
As heavier locomotives joined the D&IR, 3 became less and less useful. No longer required, in 1899 it was sold to the Duluth & Northern Minnesota, another ore carrier operating out of the Mesabi Range to docks at Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin and was renumbered 2. In 1923, "3 Spot" was purchased by the Thirty Years Veteran's Association of the Duluth & Iron Range Rail Road Company, restored to its original appearance and placed on display at the depot as part of D&IR's 40th anniversary celebrations.
Duluth Missabe & Iron Range 2-8-8-4 229 built by Baldwin in 1941 to haul long trains of ore between the Iron Range, Two Harbors and Proctor. The first few years of its life were devoted to hauling supplies cross-country for the war effort. It was donated to the Lake County Historical Society in 1969 by the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range and placed on perpetual display next to the Depot.
I went to the American Legion Hall where I had a chicken lunch and cake for dessert.
The Duluth and Iron Range Railroad station, designed by Duluth architect Peter Olson who built the company's headquarters and passenger station overlooking the ore docks and rail yards on Lake Superior. Opening to the public in 1907, the Two Harbors Depot became the hub through which goods, services and people travelled. The company officially merged to become the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad in July 1938, moving headquarters South to Duluth. Passenger service continued at the Two Harbors Depot until July 15th, 1961 when the final passenger train departed the station for Duluth. The Society opened its first museum in the building in 1960, expanding displays into the entire first floor in 1984 with the celebration of the centennial of iron ore shipping from Agate Bay.
Our train was spotted on the siding.
