Marquette Area, December 2019, Early January 2020

[CAT345C]

Its been a decent few weeks for trains on the Marquette Range, the LS&I is running just below full capacity, and CN has been pretty regular.
December 9th I caught up with a one unit L549 headed south at Little Lake during a freezing rain, snow, sleet event.
L549 South at Little Lake by Mike Tabone, on Flickr
Later in the day on the 9th, I ventured to Ishpeming and caught the L540 job that run to L'Anse shoving back to Ishpeming after setting out tank cars for the Mineral Range at Winthrop Jct.
CN L540 West Ishpeming by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

After working through Christmas I got back out on December 29th and caught L549 southbound at the Little Lake depot lite power. The modern day CN is a lot different than the CNW I grew up with during my summers here. The SD60s make a nice change from the usual CN power you find elsewhere.
L549 at Little Lake by Mike Tabone, on Flickr
The next day I found the L540 job near West Ishpeming making their way to L'Anse amid another 12" snow fall. That day the Mineral Range would get a joint authority with them and follow them to Humbolt. I how ever had to work at 3 so I did not catch them.
CN L540 at North Lake by Mike Tabone, on Flickr
Again at few miles west at Wolf Lake road in Humbolt Twp.
_MG_5714[1] by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

And now for 2020, which has brought me a new Lens for my Canon 7D, before I had been using the same two lenses that I bought in 2008 a Canon 18-55 and 75-300. After seeing how grainy and fuzzy my photos have become I made the jump and purchased a Canon 24-105 F/4 IS II USM lens from B&H. Pretty happy that I did after seeing my results from 2020 so far.
SD60s for the L'Anse job tied up at Euclid yard on a weekend.
SD60s at Euclid by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Yesterday we had a rariety in the UP, the sun was out and the skies were blue. I manged to catch up withe L'Anse L540 job near Michigamme at Imperial Heights Rd.
L540 at Van Riper State Park by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Again at the Spur River east of Three Lakes
Spur Road by Mike Tabone, on Flickr
Spur River by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

One last time in Three Lakes
West at Three Lakes by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

This morning (January 7th) I went out again with the bright sunshine but it did not last very long, manged to catch the Original Mineral Range at Pluto making a run to Euclid yard with empties for the CN. Here they are departing Pluto at Tilden Mine Road
ISLX 923 at Pluto by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Passing the former location of the infamous National Mine store that was tore down some years ago
National Mine Store by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Photo of the store from 2008:
MR 600 by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Crossing County Road 476 at National Mine.
Across Washington Street by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Meandering through the woods near County Road PAA
National Mine by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

Entering the south end of Euclid Yard where the 1950s realignment started.
On the New Alignment by Mike Tabone, on Flickr

[AARR]

Thank you for posting CAT. Your photos and report are enjoyable to follow. It looks like the L540 had a big train when you caught them. Any pulp wood coming out of the L'Anse area?

[hoborich]

Looks like the new lens was a good investment. Beautiful pictures and scenery. Sorta miss the snow and winter. But it was a good day today, kayaking in shorts and a tee shirt, and 80 degrees and sunny.

[CAT345C]

Thank you for posting CAT. Your photos and report are enjoyable to follow. It looks like the L540 had a big train when you caught them. Any pulp wood coming out of the L'Anse area?

I haven't seen any pulp wood moving that way. Interesting note, I did see some scrap gons come out of Sawyer end of October but they have since ended. I suspect the mill scrapped some old equipment and just shipped it out by rail.

[Buster Manning]

In one of your photos, you shot the 540 job shoving back into Euclid yard after dropping some cars for the MR....then later, you have a shot of the Mineral Range pulling into Euclid yard at the south end....last I knew, the interchange point for the original MR was at Winthrop Jct.....has the MR-CN interchange been moved to Euclid yard??

[CAT345C]

In one of your photos, you shot the 540 job shoving back into Euclid yard after dropping some cars for the MR....then later, you have a shot of the Mineral Range pulling into Euclid yard at the south end....last I knew, the interchange point for the original MR was at Winthrop Jct.....has the MR-CN interchange been moved to Euclid yard??

Im not sure, they drop the loads off at Winthrop, the move with the switcher to Euclid was new to me. If they are going to do that, it makes me wonder why they lease the switcher when they have two GP9s that could have done the switch more efficiently and limit travel back and fourth.

[AARR]

How often does MR service the blasting plant?

In one of your photos, you shot the 540 job shoving back into Euclid yard after dropping some cars for the MR....then later, you have a shot of the Mineral Range pulling into Euclid yard at the south end....last I knew, the interchange point for the original MR was at Winthrop Jct.....has the MR-CN interchange been moved to Euclid yard??

Im not sure, they drop the loads off at Winthrop, the move with the switcher to Euclid was new to me. If they are going to do that, it makes me wonder why they lease the switcher when they have two GP9s that could have done the switch more efficiently and limit travel back and fourth.

[Saturnalia]

In one of your photos, you shot the 540 job shoving back into Euclid yard after dropping some cars for the MR....then later, you have a shot of the Mineral Range pulling into Euclid yard at the south end....last I knew, the interchange point for the original MR was at Winthrop Jct.....has the MR-CN interchange been moved to Euclid yard??

Im not sure, they drop the loads off at Winthrop, the move with the switcher to Euclid was new to me. If they are going to do that, it makes me wonder why they lease the switcher when they have two GP9s that could have done the switch more efficiently and limit travel back and fourth.

Clint Jones told our MTU group in November that he was trying to get the interchange consolidated to Euclid. Perhaps CN decided to agree.

Such a screwed up piece of railroad from W Ishpeming to Pluto. It’s like 3 miles but has three completely different ownership and trackage right setups.