RailRoadFan.com

Today SORE 1 north had 4 WC SD45's for power, quite a bit for just 45 empty hoppers. I don't know why 2 extra SD45's were headed up to Partridge, but they were certainly not for extra power on SORE 1. L-540 power wouldn't make sense either, as today is Friday. It's a mystery move for me. Regardless, it's a rare thing to see 4 WC units together anymore, let alone all SD45's.

I chased them up to Rock, but only got 2 decent pictures due to the afternoon light. The train had WC SD45's #7501, 7523, 7502, & 7525, pulling 45 empty Algoma-Tilden all-rail hoppers (34 GCCX, 4 WC, 3 GIEX, 2 LSI, 1 BN, 1 DRG). The recent snowstorm last night has made trains kick-up quite a bit of powder as well.

I added a few other random pictures from various days to the fotopic site as well.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/c864295.html
[url]

-Pete, MP-122
[/url]

What are some good places to get pictures of the trains? I have some ideas for locations around Gulliver when I come up there in the summer but do you have any favorite or recommended sites?

I've never really railfanned east of Rapid River, except just passing through. My favorite spot in the U.P. is the WC Escanaba River tresle on the Ore sub in Wells. There's a decent amount of traffic, but the bridge and river are real pretty and pleasant to hang around, escpecially in the summer. The E & LS goes under the bridge too, so if they are running something it won't slip by unnoticed.

There's lot's of good spots around Escanaba and Gladstone that are pretty busy, if you would want to know about them.

PPE Y on the Marquette Range is worth a stop, if you want to take a side-trip to Palmer for a day. All of the WC and LS & I mine traffic funnels through this Y where the lines connect (and interchange at Partridge Yard), so there are almost always several trains a day, and a nice backwoods, peaceful spot to hang around.

Closer to Gulliver, it would be real easy to chase #411 along U.S. 2 all the way from Gladstone until about Engadine, then a backroad follows the tracks to Trout Lake from there. The depot and bridge in Manistique might be good spots, but #411 usually doesn't stop until Trout Lake so chasing it might be the best bet.

It may be possible to get some good-light views of L-543 when they stop to handle switching at Manistique or Gulliver, even though the train is eastbound in the afternoon.

-Pete, MP-122

Thanks when we go up in the spring/summer? I will definitely check some if not all of these spots out.