Working rail roads and their tracks.

[bcp]

Seldom seen detail. Dual couplers for switching standard and narrow gauge cars on 3-rail track in Colorado.

Full photo here:

RGS narrow gauge caboose number 0404

Call Number: RR-778 | Creator: Richardson, Robert W. | Date: 1953 | Read the full record details for Photograph: RGS narrow gauge caboose number 0404

digital.denverlibrary.org

Bruce

 

[ArlyA]

1968 built ore car hauling limestone in the MN Mesabi Range. These cars are being retired now.

 

[BravoXray]

1968 built ore car hauling limestone in the MN Mesabi Range. These cars are being retired now. View attachment 861135

Don't see too many older cars with roller bearing conversion on journal type trucks,

 

[ArlyA]

This is where those ore cars move pellets down from. We lived in the Gogebic range for 7 years but all those mines were hematite which is no longer mined. Under Montreal WI is the largest known formation of hematite in the world and those shafts descended to around a mile.

 

[dodge man]

So Arly I’m going to show my ignorance and let you tell me if this is correct. They mine an ore, I assume it looks like rocks. The process this material and end up with iron ore pellets. Does this sound correct? Strip mines or underground mines?

 

[ArlyA]

So Arly I’m going to show my ignorance and let you tell me if this is correct. They mine an ore, I assume it looks like rocks. The process this material and end up with iron ore pellets. Does this sound correct? Strip mines or underground mines?

Hematite was mined and they did that underground, crushed it, graded it, and sent it to the steel mills. Yes that is a red hard rock. But the mines got deeper and deeper and more costly so companies and the state of MN figured out how to process lower grade taconite which was near the surface and was 20 to 30% iron and made that into pellets. Taking out the impurities was really a BIG deal. That is over simplified. These mines are many square miles and run 200 or 300 ton trucks.

 

[jjeff]

didn't steel mills have to be retrofitted to process taconite pellets into steel vs a purer ore
like hematite or magnetite?

 

[ArlyA]

didn't steel mills have to be retrofitted to process taconite pellets into steel vs a purer ore
like hematite or magnetite?

I can't recall exactly how but seems they did. Crushed hematite % would seem to be an inexact process while pellets can be made exactly what you want.

 

[ArlyA]

A few photos of engines and cars taken at Quincy mine yesterday.

 

[jjeff]

Rode on Klondike Katie recently at Dollywood. It's a 2-8-2 narrow gauge coal burner I believe used in Alaska during WW2. Apologize no pics. Was pretty neat when engineer laid on the horn in a valley the echoing was cool.

 

[yanmars]

Around here once the tracks etc. are removed they are gone forever. Often turned into bike/walking paths.
A good rail system just seems so efficient.

 

[ArlyA]

A Missabe and Northern ore car on display at the museum in Duluth, MN. Photo taken 2018 Get a look at those trucks build! Similar to the copper ore cars seen here. Looks like the year built was 1906?.

 

[bcp]

Rode on Klondike Katie recently at Dollywood. It's a 2-8-2 narrow gauge coal burner I believe used in Alaska during WW2. Apologize no pics. Was pretty neat when engineer laid on the horn in a valley the echoing was cool.

From:

List of White Pass and Yukon Route locomotives and cars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

U.S. Army Class S118. Originally, USA #192, and used by the Army on the WP&YR. Transferred to the WP&YR in 1946. Retired in 1957. Sold to the Rebel Railroad in 1960 (Rebel Railroad #192). The Rebel Railroad sold out to Gold Rush Junction in 1970 (GRJ #192). Gold Rush Junction sold out to Silver Dollar City in 1977 (Silver Dollar City #192). Silver Dollar City sold out to Dollywood in 1986 (Dollywood #192, Klondike Katie).

Bruce

 

[MossRoad]

Rode on Klondike Katie recently at Dollywood. It's a 2-8-2 narrow gauge coal burner I believe used in Alaska during WW2. Apologize no pics. Was pretty neat when engineer laid on the horn in a valley the echoing was cool.

About 15 years ago my in-laws took the whole family to Dollywood. My only goal at that park was to ride that steam train. My mother in-law had to stop at EVERY gift shop in that park to look at Dolly merchandise. And Dolly's bus. And a bunch of music venues, and, and, and..., I keep seeing the train making passes through the park. And the steam whistle echos so nice through the park, and I'm all excited to ride this train....

So we finally get near where the map says to board the train, I see a park employee and ask him where do we get on the train, and he points over to a building and says, "Well, normally you'd board the train right there, but that's the last train of the day." as he points to the train leaving the station and it sounds it's whistle and chugs away....



(shakes head, sighs deeply, puts head down, and walks away)

 

[Hay Dude]

Maybe you need to be more reverent?

 

[ArlyA]

This is a mainline from the Tilden Mine full of iron ore pellets that trickled out of the bottom of the cars going to the dock in Marquette MI. Look like cranberries. No credits or location shown but I suspect it's around Eagle Mills.

 

[MossRoad]

Maybe you need to be more reverent?

I worship no train.

 

[MossRoad]

This is a mainline from the Tilden Mine full of iron ore pellets that trickled out of the bottom of the cars going to the dock in Marquette MI. Look like cranberries. No credits or location shown but I suspect it's around Eagle Mills.View attachment 861458

Looks like cranberries indeed.

 

[ArlyA]

Was hiking at the Quincy mine site last night and spied some narrow gauge tracks remaining.

 

[jjeff]

Was hiking at the Quincy mine site last night and spied some narrow gauge tracks remaining. View attachment 861700

Quincy mine hoist site is pretty neat especially if your into amateur industrial archeology 6 or 7 yrs ago my step kids really liked it also. Kind of ranting but a abandoned 100+ yr old railroad grade out by me up there was turned into a tourist destination, signage was put in, the remaining exposed rails were taken, the old two track was somewhat graded to allow passenger cars and last time I went up there a convoy of tourists in compact cars was up there.

older pics showing old rails. Now gone.