CN Ore Sub Operations Update

[Standard Railfan]

I caught up with a CN contact of mine this week. I was told that due to the Empire mine shutdown through October, ore trains to Escanaba had been cut to one per day. My source told me that a second daily turn will be starting shortly.

A maintenance crew has been working the ore sub the past few weeks cleaning pellets from the track gauge. According to my source FRA has told CN that there cannot be pellets on the ties between the rails. Odd since walking in the gauge of the track is forbidden.

[AARR]

Thanks for the update, StdRF.

It's been a few years but CN was running three trains per day between Escanaba and Partridge. Two handled ore pellets and one handled traffic for the wood plant at Sawyer(?), interchange traffic for LS&I (chemicals, clay, limestone) and overhead traffic for the Ishpeming-Baraga Turn. The all-rail ore for the steel mill in Ste. St. Marie was on one of those three trains. Knowing CN they probably consolidated traffic from these trains into one mega train

[Standard Railfan]

CN still runs a daily turn to Sawyer i believe.

There is also a turn from Escanaba west yard to West Ishpeming and then on to Baraga 3x per week (one day up, overnight in Baraga, and return the next i think). The train to West Ishpeming handles the bentonite traffic for LS&I, exchanges cars with Mineral Range (nickel/copper concentrate). The train to Baraga is mostly loads of ties for the power plant in L'Anse and wood chips and logs for the Certainteed plant with pulpwood loads on the return trip.

[JANGAJONGA]

So on the ore sub, there will be two ore trains, one mixed freight, and a local that switches out sawyer, as well as Baraga and L'anse traffic? sounds like theres the possibility for the line to get fairly congested?

Is the taconite traffic from Minnesota to the Escanaba docks winter only?

[Standard Railfan]

So on the ore sub, there will be two ore trains, one mixed freight, and a local that switches out sawyer, as well as Baraga and L'anse traffic? sounds like theres the possibility for the line to get fairly congested?

Is the taconite traffic from Minnesota to the Escanaba docks winter only?

The "congestion" can happen. There are several passing sidings where meets can and do occur. Since the ore trains run up and back, the manifest freight and the local can be run behind the ore trains in each direction. I don't know how the trains are staged now, but historically under CN the day looked something like this:

the northbound (railroad West) ore empties would depart the Escanaba Dock. Soon thereafter the local and/or manifest freight (these are combined on occasion) will follow. By the time the ore train gets to the mine and swaps empties for loads, the local and or manifest is either out of harms way at Sawyer or has gone past the mine on to West Ishpeming. The southbound (East) loaded ore train can then run down to Escanaba. The manifest can then follow. The second and/or third cycle of ore trains would move in the evening and overnight hours.

The old CNW line is very well built and maintained and was designed to handle a lot of traffic.

Minnesota ore to Escanaba typically only occurs after the Soo Locks close in January and ends in April with the locks reopening.

[JANGAJONGA]

That is very informative, thank you! I have a couple other questions...

What exactly does all rail mean? I understand that the ore is taken to the mill on the Canadian side of the sault, but what makes it "all rail"?. Am I correct in thinking that some of the ore that comes out of empire or tilden goes to the docks in Esky, and some goes to the Sault? What is the difference?

what is traffic like on the line from Gladstone to green bay? one manifest each day? is there any local switching done on that line?

[Tom Train]

There is one all-rail move per day of pellets from the mines to Essar Steel in Soo, Ontario, of 50 cars. The bulk of the pellets go from the Presque Isle ore dock in Marquette to the steel mill by lake freighter, usually the Michipicoten, making a round trip about every two days.

[Doktor No]

All rail means its NOT LOADED onto a boat for a part of the trip, I.E. all rail from mine to mill.
The difference between the Soo and Escanaba is about 100 some miles...in Escanaba the ore goes onto boats for the remainder of the trip to mills in Chitown area and Cleveland and Toledo and Detroit. The Soo ore goes to the mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, all rail thru Gladstone then northeastward. Used to be Algoma Steel up there but the name has been changed to protect the innocent.

[JANGAJONGA]

All rail means its NOT LOADED onto a boat for a part of the trip, I.E. all rail from mine to mill.
The difference between the Soo and Escanaba is about 100 some miles...in Escanaba the ore goes onto boats for the remainder of the trip to mills in Chitown area and Cleveland and Toledo and Detroit. The Soo ore goes to the mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, all rail thru Gladstone then northeastward. Used to be Algoma Steel up there but the name has been changed to protect the innocent.

Okay so there no difference in the product thats getting shipped out, just going to different places. I was wondering if there was some difference in the ore or something.

[Tom Train]

Besides Essar Steel in the Soo, the other major customer for Marquette pellets is Rouge Steel in Detroit. An average of a boatload a day leaves Marquette for the Rouge.
Yes, there are different types of pellets.

[AARR]

At times when AA still had their boat fleet some of the Rouge Steel pellets went all rail via LS&I, M&LS, AA, DT&I.

Besides Essar Steel in the Soo, the other major customer for Marquette pellets is Rouge Steel in Detroit. An average of a boatload a day leaves Marquette for the Rouge.
Yes, there are different types of pellets.

[JANGAJONGA]

At times when AA still had their boat fleet some of the Rouge Steel pellets went all rail via LS&I, M&LS, AA, DT&I.

Besides Essar Steel in the Soo, the other major customer for Marquette pellets is Rouge Steel in Detroit. An average of a boatload a day leaves Marquette for the Rouge.
Yes, there are different types of pellets.

It seemed this operation was what allowed the M&LS to hold on for as long as it did?

[AARR]

Correct, JJ. When the ore traffic stopped M&LS abandoned its operation in 1968 or 69.

At times when AA still had their boat fleet some of the Rouge Steel pellets went all rail via LS&I, M&LS, AA, DT&I.

Besides Essar Steel in the Soo, the other major customer for Marquette pellets is Rouge Steel in Detroit. An average of a boatload a day leaves Marquette for the Rouge.
Yes, there are different types of pellets.

It seemed this operation was what allowed the M&LS to hold on for as long as it did?

[Notch 8]

A maintenance crew has been working the ore sub the past few weeks cleaning pellets from the track gauge. According to my source FRA has told CN that there cannot be pellets on the ties between the rails. Odd since walking in the gauge of the track is forbidden.

Taconite pellets on the ties, Why can't they be on the ties ? are we talking 3" of pellets or pellets period ? They use a vac truck ? and does the railroad sell the pellets or give them back to the shipper ?

[Standard Railfan]

Taconite pellets on the ties, Why can't they be on the ties ? are we talking 3" of pellets or pellets period ? They use a vac truck ? and does the railroad sell the pellets or give them back to the shipper ?

The pellets on the ties are seen as a slip and fall hazard. Cliffs has gone to the extreme of banning several boot sole designs as they tend to collect and not release pellets.

I did not get into the details with my contact about how no pellets on the ties is defined. As one might expect, there are always pellets on the ties on ore lines.

LS&I uses a vac truck to pick up pellets. CN is using what my contacts labeled a "Yard Cleaner". The device appears to be some sort of broom and conveyor system. I did not have time to examine the workings of the machine as I was driving by.

I do not know the fate of LS&Is pellets. CN has been discharging their pellets onto the shoulder of the ROW. I believe that the iron companies frown on recycling pellets for fear of contamination with whatever may be on the ballast.

[AARR]

There used to be a string of pellets between the rails from Gladstone to Ste. St. Marie from the all-rail ore cars leaking

Taconite pellets on the ties, Why can't they be on the ties ? are we talking 3" of pellets or pellets period ? They use a vac truck ? and does the railroad sell the pellets or give them back to the shipper ?

The pellets on the ties are seen as a slip and fall hazard. Cliffs has gone to the extreme of banning several boot sole designs as they tend to collect and not release pellets.

I did not get into the details with my contact about how no pellets on the ties is defined. As one might expect, there are always pellets on the ties on ore lines.

LS&I uses a vac truck to pick up pellets. CN is using what my contacts labeled a "Yard Cleaner". The device appears to be some sort of broom and conveyor system. I did not have time to examine the workings of the machine as I was driving by.

I do not know the fate of LS&Is pellets. CN has been discharging their pellets onto the shoulder of the ROW. I believe that the iron companies frown on recycling pellets for fear of contamination with whatever may be on the ballast.

[Standard Railfan]

Taconite pellets are the worlds greatest slingshot ammo.

[JANGAJONGA]

How has the Mineral Range's traffic been doing? I heard they built a new engine shed in Ishpeming, and possibly picked up a new customer in Ishpeming as well?

[Standard Railfan]

The Mineral Range traffic has been steady. I usually see the covered gondolas staged in the CN West Ishpeming yard.

I did not know about an engine shed. Perhaps they are using the CN ex CNW engine house at the West Ish. yard?

I have not heard about another customer yet either.

I will see if I can learn anything later this week.

[CAT345C]

What are they running for track speed up there? Perhaps the pellets were affecting the ability of the ballast to hold surfacing requirements.