After the little rare mileage over the former Northern Pacific freight route from St. Paul to just before the BNSF Northtown Yards, our special train returned to the normal route that I had been across several times aboard Milwaukee Road 261.
We passed Canadian Pacific's Shoreham Yard, from where my past Canadian Pacific 2816 steam trips departed.
At Coon Creek, our train turned off the Empire Builder route and proceeded north for Duluth.
The train escaped the Twin Cities' influence as it made its way into the Minnesota countryside.
At Bethel we passed Independent Locomotive Services SW8 750, ex. Amtrak 750, exx. Conrail 8689, nee Lehigh Valley 275 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952 and Independent Locomotive Service TR4B 516, nee Belt Railway of Chicago 506B built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950.
What do you do when a road construction sign is in the middle of the tracks? It was a test for our crew, which they passed with flying colours.
Our train continued north.
Approaching Hinckley, MP 72.3. This was the former crossing of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific routes to Duluth, which was guarded by a manned interlocking tower until 1975.
The former Northern Pacific line at Hinckley.
An outdoor ice rink for playing ice hockey.
Rounding another curve on the way to Sandstone.
Sandstone, MP 63.1, was famous for its sandstone quarries along the Kettle River. A former AMtrak stop for the Arrowhead/North Star, just north of town, the tracks cross the Kettle River and the quarrying area on a 764 foot steel trestle.
Our train rounded another curve.
The 764 foot Kettle River bridge just north of Sandstone.
First, a yellow signal and then this red one. Another test?
Next we ran to this dark signal. Luckily, the next one was green.
I had seen plenty of scenery like this since I have been in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The train crossed the Black River on this 1,600 foot trestle.
Crossing the 1,440 foot trestle across the Nemadji River.
Rolling towards Superior.
Our train took that tight curve in Superior that Milwaukee Road 261 must always be walked around.
On the way to the Grassy Point drawbridge.
Nears the drawbridge.
St. Louis Bay.
Crossing the Grassy Point drawbridge at MP 148.7. This former Northern Pacific structure carries BNSF tracks across St. Louis Bay and into Duluth. It is also used by Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific transfer runs.
Joe Harper and Richard at a unique photo location.
The Grassy Point drawbridge.
Former Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range ore docks, now owned by Canadian National Railway.
An ore boat loading as we arrived. We proceeded slowly into Duluth Union Station, thus ending our trip to the Twin Port City of Duluth. Everyone detrained to a brass band celebrating the first Amtrak passenger train here since the end of the short-lived Arrowhead Service in the 1980's. I walked to the Best Western and checked in then later Richard delivered my luggage and we went to the Radisson to board the buses for the Vista Cruise Line dinner cruise.
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