On January 9th, I ventured south to the Escanaba area and caught the L549 near Rock kicking up some snow.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49357911748_306d636f13_c.jpg)
Once I arrived to Gladstone A451 the train that runs to the Soo was departing the yard. I scurried out east of Rapid River. They had 54 all rail ore followed by about 30 freight. Now the all rail ore is back down to 45 cars due to the stock Algoma has on the ground.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49358573532_7a4f6371fb_c.jpg)
After getting some gas at the new Meijer the ELS departed the car shops and headed back to Wells with the 402 dragging a gaggle of mixed cars for the CN interchange. Here they are by the Community College.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49357911393_2b0611cf00_c.jpg)
Again switching on the lead to the locomotive shop. If there is an open track they have cars waiting to be shopped on it.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49358573192_ec0d1777a2_c.jpg)
On the 12th the girlfriend and I ventured out towards Munising to look at some frozen water falls, caught the Munsing local trundling along with a couple cars.
Here they are in the middle of the Seney Stretch along M28 with a clean IC GP38-2
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49375921102_097e0e9dc4_c.jpg)
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49375264598_92005abe23_c.jpg)
In Shingleton passing some hibernating track equipment.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49375921012_936287f2ba_c.jpg)
Passing through Wetmore
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49375263193_7ca580d326_c.jpg)
Later in the week I managed to catch L540 departing Ishpeming and heading to L'Anse. Here they are at the west end of Euclid.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49381260972_f675fd92fc_c.jpg)
It then snowed for about 5 days straight so I was too busy plowing at night to pay attention to what the railroads were doing. This past Tuesday on the 21st I went to L'Anse to catch the L539 job and hopefully follow them back to at least Nestoria.
Here they are running around their train at the True Value in L'Anse.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49420806721_e7edecbd5f_c.jpg)
Once they ran around their train they then backed into Celotex to begin their pickup. The box cars on the head end are idlers for the hill in L'Anse. The top of the hill at Hermain is 1197' above sea leve, the train in this shot below is at 97' above sea level. The last 3 miles of this 8 mile long hill drops close to 3.5%.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49421029342_fd3a562bd7_c.jpg)
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49420806576_3c73971910_c.jpg)
Departing L'Anse at the Mead Crossing
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49420341873_64d6dce9cd_c.jpg)
Mead hasn't been shipping anything by rail but it is curious to me that the siding and switch have been cleared out.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49421029117_0581d5c0fe_c.jpg)
A hairy drive into the Huron Mountains brings us to the town of Herman. The top of the hill between Nestoria and L'Anse. The building on the right was once railroad housing for the section men. Its safe to say a couple more good snow falls and it may be a goner.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49420341673_172bb788a2_c.jpg)
One last shot from this trip sees L539 rounding the corner at MP 208 with some nice snow flocking on the trees.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49421028857_3586330e87_c.jpg)
That is all for now, looks like more snow plowing is in my future tonight into the weekend. I'm hoping next week to catch the E&LS.