U.P. question

[JANGAJONGA]

Is there any ore carried by CN to to the docks in Escanaba? I know the LS&I loads ore in Marquette and i think CN runs a train to the Sault with ore? can someone shed light on the current ore operations in the UP?

[Standard Railfan]

The CN docks in Escanaba handle more ore than the LS&I Marquette dock. The Escanaba dock is open year-round.

The dock is not a pocket dock but a conveyor reclaim system. The pellets are unloaded in a house, conveyed to a stacker which creates a long linear pile of pellets. The reclaimer picks up the pellets and places them on a belt that runs out to the dock where the loader places the pellets in the ships holds. The loader can move the length of the dock to reach all of the boats hatches.

The is not a good public spot to watch any of this unless you have a boat in the bay. You can watch the trains arrive and depart along Sheridan road in Escanaba.

I hope this helps.

[AARR]

Std RF covered the Escanaba dock operation pretty darn good.

I believe CN operates 2-3 ore turns per day between Empire and Escanaba. CN also inbounds chemicals, clay, and limestone to the mines.

Escanaba is also (at least used to) be the destination for winter ore from MN.

Last I heard CN was still operating ore between Empire/Escanaba/Algoma Steel in the daily regular mainfest.

[i995impalass]

Last I heard CN was still operating ore between Empire/Escanaba/Algoma Steel in the daily regular manifest.

Yes. The CN drops 45 hoppers to LS&I for the 7am weigher. LS&I loads these 45 at the Tilden and CN loads 45 at the Empire. LS&I will bring the 45 to Partridge and run back to Eagle Mills light power. CN will then assemble the 90 loaded hopper cars and send to Algoma as the all rail. Tilden is mag and hem, while the Empire is hem only. (two ore types)

CN has 3-4 SORE trains daily between Empire and Escanaba. CN is only allowed into the Empire. When CN is short on crews, the LS&I will load SSAM cars at the Empire for CN.

LS&I also will during the summer move paint ore in gons that is loaded at Eagle Mills. 3-4 gons at a time. Last July to September(or when it gets cold). These are weighed by LS&I and brought to Queens with the other interchange traffic for CN.

Other ore operations are pellet reclaim on LS&I, a pellet picker pulls all the loose pellets off the tracks and loads into ore cars. Usually this is the pellet collector itself, a hi-rail truck or two, and 3-5 ore cars. The picker is able to couple to the ore cars. Also this job is run under MoW, since the picker is classes as MoW equipment. These then sold to companies as clinkers, because it is a mix of mag and hem ore.

[lemscate]

[quote="i995impalass"][quote="AARR"]
Other ore operations are pellet reclaim on LS&I, a pellet picker pulls all the loose pellets off the tracks and loads into ore cars. Usually this is the pellet collector itself, a hi-rail truck or two, and 3-5 ore cars. The picker is able to couple to the ore cars. Also this job is run under MoW, since the picker is classes as MoW equipment. These then sold to companies as clinkers, because it is a mix of mag and hem ore.[/quote]

Didn't know the reclaimed pellets were resold. How are they shipped to customers? The ore cars can't leave home road, so are they reloaded into something else?

[Standard Railfan]

I used to do contract work for CN/WC at the Escanaba dock and Gladstone; CN/DMIR at Duluth & Two Harbors. I might have been to the docks a time or two...

[JANGAJONGA]

So both LS&I and CN load out of empire and tilden? some goes to escanaba and some goes to mqt?

[Standard Railfan]

So both LS&I and CN load out of empire and tilden? some goes to escanaba and some goes to mqt?

Yes, the track to Tilden runs through Empire. Loads from either mine can go to either railroad depending on the end customers needs.

The all rail moves usually are out of Tilden to Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (I have not checked the ownership records of late, but Algoma was at one time a partial owner of the Tilden)

As mentioned above, during the "winter" when the Soo Locks are closed, ore from Minnesota is hauled to Escanaba to be loaded on ships.

[LSRC]

CN just throws the ore going to the Sault onto the regular Green Bay-Sault Ste. Marie, ON manifest, L551. I imaging that the ore cars are added to the train in Escanaba. The train usually runs with the ore on the head end, DPU style with the DPU placed in between the ore cars and the rest of the train. The train normally has a pair of SD70M-2s or GEVOs when it arrives in the SOO.

[i995impalass]

So both LS&I and CN load out of empire and tilden? some goes to escanaba and some goes to mqt?

CN is only allowed in the Empire. LS&I is allowed in both. Back in the 50's when Jim Scullion SR helped planning the track to the Tilden, both the CNW and LS&I had mainline track insted of using track rights over the CNW track already in place. The CNW already has a line through Plamer, connect to Pepin-Ireco at the behind the Tilden. The spur and Mineral Range is old CNW line. Scullion did this because he knew that someday CNW would abandon that track and this would give the LS&I the only access to the Tilden. If you have heard the name Jim Scullion before that is because his son, Jim Scullion JR is a big wig currently at the LS&I.

Other ore operations are pellet reclaim on LS&I, a pellet picker pulls all the loose pellets off the tracks and loads into ore cars. Usually this is the pellet collector itself, a hi-rail truck or two, and 3-5 ore cars. The picker is able to couple to the ore cars. Also this job is run under MoW, since the picker is classes as MoW equipment. These then sold to companies as clinkers, because it is a mix of mag and hem ore.

Didn't know the reclaimed pellets were resold. How are they shipped to customers? The ore cars can't leave home road, so are they reloaded into something else?

Over the dock at Marquette. Sold by the pocket full. Each pocket of the MQT dock hold's 3 1/2 carloads. And your correct the LS&I ore cars are landlocked. Some have build dates of 1937 and 1942. They do however do a rebuild program on the cars. This happens ever year, a certain number a month. This is also why the LS&I will only run 20 MPH, because of the FRA waiver. It works out in the long run, because they can run the whole railroad in yard limits.

[Standard Railfan]

CN just throws the ore going to the Sault onto the regular Green Bay-Sault Ste. Marie, ON manifest, L551. I imaging that the ore cars are added to the train in Escanaba. The train usually runs with the ore on the head end, DPU style with the DPU placed in between the ore cars and the rest of the train. The train normally has a pair of SD70M-2s or GEVOs when it arrives in the SOO.

IIRC the loaded ore cars are hauled to the Gladstone yard to be placed on the head end of the SSM bound trains. I am not sure though, there have been a number of different operating scenarios over the years. The cars may also be exchanged at the west yard or sometimes called 7 yard; west of 30th st.

[JANGAJONGA]

Does the ore come in by rail from Minnesota in the winter?, like unit trains?

[Standard Railfan]

Does the ore come in by rail from Minnesota in the winter?, like unit trains?

I cannot say for certain that ore trains are still run in the winter from Minnesota to Escanaba. For many years, DMIR ore trains with DMIR power would run to Esky each winter after the Soo locks closed.

Shortly after CN purchased the DMIR, there was talk of all rail moves from Minnesota to Chicagoland mills. I do not know if that scenario ever played out.

I remember being in Pembine WI one night when a cut of DMIR locomotives and empty ore cars were hauled back to Minnesota. I have never before or since seen 14 locomotives on the same train, all of them running in MU mode. The sound of all that power throttling up on a Cold calm winter night was beyond description.