SD40-2 Stronghold: EMD Locomotives in Minnesota's Iron Ore Country FULL VIDEO (2018)

This is C. Vision's full video covering trains in Minnesota's iron ore country powered by classic EMD locomotives. Beginning with the Canadian National, we'll follow taconite and limestone trains, along with the Proctor and Two Harbors “MRF” local freights (L593 and L594), as they work their way across the former DM&IR system. The parade of trains to and from Minntac, Minorca, and Fairlane is nonstop, and this video shows just how busy it was, with these movements cycling between the mines and the ore docks as fast as the operation would allow. Some of the locomotive models seen in this segment include SD40-2 (SD40-3), SD45T-2 (SD40T-3), SD40 (SD40u), SD40-2W, SD38, SD38-2, SD60, and SD70. A few fallen flag road names appear, including Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, Bessemer & Lake Erie, and Illinois Central. By 2018, CN’s straight air-equipped C40-8s had begun to steal ore assignments away from the older EMD power, and several of these GEs are featured in this program. We also document BNSF local operations, with pairs of SD40-2s utilized on the Kelly Lake and Grand Rapids locals during our visits. For our final segment, we’ll explore the Northshore Mining Railroad between Silver Bay and Babbitt, Minnesota. Raw taconite ore and tailings trains are seen traversing Northshore Mining’s mainline, powered by an interesting combination of NSM SD40-3s and CEFX SD90MACs. Noteworthy locations include Railfan Rock, the MP 23 overpass, and Toimi.
From wildflowers to snowstorms, trains are viewed in all four seasons, adding to the variety. A little wildlife is seen and heard as well, with an Osprey making an appearance at Highland, spring peeper frogs calling at Waldo, an American Goldfinch tearing apart some thistle in Two Harbors, and a turtle spending a little time out in the sun south of Mountain Iron. From the clear, cold waters of Lake Superior to the mines and pellet plants of the Iron Range, this video documents the unique railroad operations and the natural splendor of Minnesota’s iron ore country. Footage era 2003-2018.
Coverage area:
DMIR:
Two Harbors, MN to Iron Junction, MN
Mountain Iron, MN to Duluth, MN
BNSF:
Hibbing, MN
Superior, WI to Floodwood, MN
NSM:
Silver Bay, MN to Toimi, MN
------------------
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[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Another amazing video. I have gotten so much enjoyment out of your work over the last two months. One of the only channels I watch. -Drayton

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Drayton! We secretly indulge in a little DIB as well... You always have unique and interesting content. Thanks for watching, and glad you enjoyed the video.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

@@CVisionContributor, thank you, that really means a lot to me. You guys have been doing this 3x as long as I have and to know someone else who is much more experienced than I am enjoys my work is really humbling.

[@CVisionContributor]

@@DelayInBlockProductions You’re very welcome, Drayton. Keep up the good work.

[@robfelt9283]

I used to live in these areas. I have to tell you this is the most beautiful footage I have ever seen of any of the videos on the Internet. Thank you so much for putting this out.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you, Rob! That means the world to us. It makes all the time and effort that we put into this production worth it. We are grateful to have you as a viewer.

[@gregginter5867]

My fav power unit of all time….SD40-2😊🎉

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you, Greg! We appreciate you watching the video.

[@tedzehnder961]

The trains are great, but much appreciation for backround and detail of the surrounding areas.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much, Ted. We did enjoy the trains, but the natural splendor of northeastern Minnesota really does steal the show. So much to see, so much to experience.

[@alexpaumen3937]

I do have a soft spot in my heart for the Dash 8s but the SD40-2 is the gift that keeps on giving. Mostly beloved by crews, maintenance is probably minimal, reliability is of course top tier (aside from the occasional turbo failures but that happens to GEs too) and their weight and power is optimum for just about anywhere in the US and Canada.

[@CVisionContributor]

Well said, Alex! We couldn’t agree more. They are a dream not only to watch, but to operate.

[@spacecalander]

So nice to see SP live on under CN paint!

[@CVisionContributor]

Agreed! Pretty incredible that CN has kept these units. But the fact that they were equipped with straight air for ore service is a big part of why they did.

[@spacecalander]

@@CVisionContributor Thanks so much!

[@CVisionContributor]

@@spacecalander You’re welcome!

[@j.m.youngquist419]

I see some of our old SD45T2'S ARE still in service.

[@CVisionContributor]

Yes, sir! They absolutely are. Still running fairly well too.

[@WSUFlyingbeta]

This video is EXCELLENT! Love the modern EMD action with classic horns and heavy trains!

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Jack! Very happy that you enjoyed it!

[@heyimpatrick0]

great video! the iron range is definitely a railfan gold mine

[@CVisionContributor]

It certainly is! Lots to see and experience up there.

[@RTek1986]

I miss seeing those B&LE SD40T-3s on their home turf (not far from my own home turf). Excellent video.

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Derek! Wish they would have kept some more of them over on the true B&LE. At least they are still operating. Neat locomotives, for sure.

[@trainknut]

Somewhat ironically, in losing their DMIR and BLE identities, these SD40T-3s have come full circle, with their new(ish) CN colours eerily mirroring their mother road's iconic and unforgettable bloody nose. It's hard not to be reminded of scenes of brand new SD45T-2s hauling SP's priority trains on their toughest grades such as Shasta, Donner and Tehachapi when multiple tunnel motors are lashed up together in crisp red and black paint, running in notch 8. It's like the ending of three eras at once, it's the end of Southern Pacific's class 1 legacy, it's the end of the DMIR, BLE and other midwestern lines as independent systems, as well as the end of the 20 cylinder 645s which are long gone from these units, a beautiful twilight on three distinct yet intertwined railroad legacies.

[@CVisionContributor]

Excellent write-up. We agree wholeheartedly. They are incredible units. And even without their 20-cylinder prime movers, they still sound very, very good. Really do enjoy seeing them up there.

[@wrrail]

This video is insane! I love those classic P5s in the snow, makes them sound more mean

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! And yes, the sound experience on CN’s former DMIR lines is phenomenal. We appreciate the comment.

[@darrelgibbs4898]

Great Video Lets Roll Unbelievable View

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Darrel! Much appreciated.

[@darrelgibbs4898]

This is a Awesome 2hr video i Hope to See More Like This one

[@CVisionContributor]

@@darrelgibbs4898 There will be!

[@SpecificationR]

Thank you for posting this. Those P3's and 645s are just beautiful to hear. Subscribed!

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you! And you’re very welcome. Glad to have you aboard.

[@KatoOnTheTrack1]

Top 3 channel for me over the last 2 months

[@CVisionContributor]

Glad we could provide you with some railroad video entertainment over the past two months. There will be more! Thanks for watching.

[@alexschmollinger6576]

Love the P3 Horn on the Ex SP SD40T-2 Locomotives

[@CVisionContributor]

Agreed. They sound great!

[@damian.rosario]

Well done friend, beatiful video friend, thumbs up 😉👏👏👍

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Damian!

[@Med0sproductions]

SD40s are the best ever bro

[@CVisionContributor]

We tend to agree with that sentiment!

[@ebnertra0004]

39:00 I actually saw a pair of NS AC44C6Ms on an empty in Skibo about in May 2021. I raced to Aurora to make sure I wasn't losing it. I was not

[@CVisionProductions1]

We believe you! Interesting!

[@CVisionContributor]

Sounds like they were testing them. A sign of things to come?

[@AndreiTupolev]

Those scenes from27:35are just masterpieces.

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, sir! Glad that you enjoyed them.

[@marleycap6000]

This is some amazing footage of various SD40-2 locomotives..im appalled at the sound quality and visuals.its flawless

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you so much, Juan!

[@marleycap6000]

@@CVisionContributor thank you c.vision for posting this incredible content!The sd40-2 is one hell of a machine.loving the run 8 sounds

[@CVisionContributor]

@@marleycap6000 You’re very welcome! Glad that you are enjoying the video. SD40-2s (and variants thereof) are definitely where it’s at!

[@laredawg4269]

The footage is so Beautiful and perfect. I am awestruck

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the video. Your kind words are greatly appreciated. As you may have guessed, these projects require a significant amount of time and energy to produce. It’s comments like yours that truly make it worthwhile.

[@Lakeside_Rail_Productions]

I love being able to watch these full movies here, great work as always!

[@CVisionContributor]

We are more than happy to share them with you! Glad that you enjoy them. Thanks for watching.

[@Nicola636128]

Excellent video! Very enjoyed.

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you! Happy to hear that you enjoyed it.

[@midwestrails8317]

Wow. That shot at 28:30 was unbelievable.

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you so much! Glad that you enjoyed it. It was COLD that morning.

[@midwestrails8317]

@@CVisionContributor I bet. Looked like -10 or lower! Brrr!! 🥶

[@CVisionContributor]

@@midwestrails8317 Correct! It was in the negative 20s. A few other scenes were even colder.

[@andrewcrumb8027]

The tunnel motors look great in Canadian National paint, and there are other units that are wearing Bessemer and Lake Erie paint.

[@CVisionContributor]

Agreed! And correct, there are. Thanks for the comment!

[@andrewcrumb8027]

@@CVisionContributor Anytime!

[@laredawg4269]

Awesome footage and explanations. I am now a subscriber. I hope this channel goes a long time.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! We welcome you to our channel. There are plenty of videos lined up for 2024. Stay tuned!

[@kevinschofield7864]

i loved the cn freight trains and american freight trains when they had cabooses at the end.

[@CVisionProductions1]

We did too, Kevin. It was fitting and proper for a caboose to be placed at the rear of each train. Just one of the many things we miss about railroading in that era. Thank you for the comment.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

great video once again

[@CVisionProductions1]

Much appreciated, Kelvin! We’re glad that you enjoyed the video.

[@AMPProductionsVideo]

Very nice video so far, I'll watch more later👍👍

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, AMP Productions! This is quite the long video.

[@user-in8vv7ko5s]

The iron range division starts at Wyman just Noth of Allen jct. It heads west and the original line went straight to tower and ely.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Very cool! There’s lots of history there. Today, CN’s Iron Range Subdivision runs between Two Harbors and Iron Junction. We appreciate you taking the time to watch the video.

[@kenburbey]

Fantastic video! Makes me want to go up there and get some wrist rocket ammo

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much, Ken! And yes, that would be the place to go, for sure. We appreciate your comment.

[@andyharman3022]

1:06:50 Ahh, there it is, finally. Some angry-sounding EMD'S hard at work in a pacing shot.

[@CVisionContributor]

Yes, sir! Thank you, Andy!

[@user-ih1mo8vv7o]

Great video

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! We’re glad that you enjoyed it.

[@BNSF1458]

Very awesome! Are you guys planning on uploading the Hinckley Sub Second Edition on YT?

[@CVisionContributor]

That option is on the table. We’ll see where 2022 takes us. There will be more of these full videos in the future, but the order in which they will be posted remains to be seen. Stay tuned!

[@wiestbound]

Great video! Interesting looking back, in the video the saying was that the dash 8s would replace the 40s up here, that was 4 years ago. Correct me if I'm wrong, but now I'm hearing the dash 8s are being phased out, and people are scrambling for dash 8 images. It's like a complete 180. Also dang those 403 shots make me jealous!

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you, Jordan! And yes, CN’s Dash 8s are nearing the end of their careers. However, we’re hearing the budget to replace them (and the SD40s) has been slashed for 2022, so they may last a little longer. Proctor has done a fantastic job keeping these old workhorses in decent shape.

[@wiestbound]

@@CVisionContributor Good to know, Mike! I love the EMDs, but the dash 8s are just as cool IMO.

[@CVisionContributor]

@@wiestbound Those SD40s will never die... Anyway, thanks again for the comments, Jordan. Happy railfanning!

[@trainknut]

It happens every few years for any locomotive that suddenly becomes rare, pretty soon Dash 9s and first gen SD70Ms will probably be the next railfan scramble.

[@CVisionContributor]

@@trainknut It really does seem that way. Anything that’s going away gets put on the “hot list”.

[@amessman]

4:18 - I was wondering why those SD40's looked so smokey! 56:07 - If there's one thing that sounds better than a 645 throttling up as it passes, it's a 645 throttling down.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Even though Proctor has done a fantastic job maintaining these units, they are just old and worn out. A few of them had issues that caused the locomotives to smoke/belch exhaust. As for the throttle down, that was a pretty abrupt drop in power! We didn’t expect that to occur right next to our camera. Thanks for noticing those details.

[@ebnertra0004]

They used to chop the power _hard_ nortj of Fairbanks, right where I would always see them. Hearing 645s on loads at full throttle for half an hour before they reach you is a sound I sorely miss

[@CVisionProductions1]

@ebnertra000 We used to hear that too. There was one late night at Rollins where we heard the sound of 645s approaching off and on for 45 minutes. Similar experiences at night in Wales. NSM around Toimi a few times as well. Not exactly sure why that happens up there, but it’s incredible.

[@thomassaunders1749]

You guys got any videos on the Union RR ?

[@CVisionContributor]

We don’t. Sorry. But that would be a cool railroad to cover!

[@fabriciobengozi9650]

The Locomotives SD40T-3 For Iron Range

[@CVisionProductions1]

They seem to have worked out well up there. Thanks for watching.

[@alexschmollinger6576]

It's Sad the DM&IR Doesn't run anymore and CN is Getting to big as a Main line Railroad Rest in Peace DM&IR

[@CVisionContributor]

The DM&IR was a great railroad. At least the trains are still running, even if it’s under a different owner. Thanks for the comment!

[@TrainsNStuff]

Awesome video and production! How do y'all keep your video extremely stable with tripods?

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you for the kind words! The tripods we use are very heavy duty. They are somewhat difficult to haul around due to their weight, but they do a good job. The particular tripod and fluid head combo we used to capture scenes for this video is over 20 years old, but still performs flawlessly. No matter how hard we’ve tried, we cannot break it.

[@TrainsNStuff]

@@CVisionContributor that's cool! I'm always looking for ways to stabilize my videos more. I use tripods yet my cameras' built in image stabilizers don't work anymore and the tripods don't do a good job of getting rid of the vibrations. Looks like it's a never ending quest.

[@CVisionContributor]

@@TrainsNStuff Well, it might be time for an upgrade! There are lots of great tripods out there. Some can get fairly expensive, however. Our first heavy duty tripod was bought used. That cut down the price substantially. It still worked like new. Just an idea to consider...

[@kelvintorrence5994]

I always liked that c.n. don't have to make heritage units they just keep them the old lines colors

[@CVisionProductions1]

Yes, sir! The old SD40s that CN operates are just as good (or better) than any heritage unit. Classic EMDs will never go out of style. Thank you, Kelvin.

[@barbaradarnell7376]

Two seasons:swat and shovel!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You got that right! We experienced those two distinct seasons while producing this program. Thank you for watching.

[@dieseldave3879]

👍

[@CVisionContributor]

Thank you!!!

[@Supersnow145]

I love this video I knew something was up there when I was there this weekend so I saw some cool things also at 9:10 what spot is this it looks amazing that and what horn was on that BLE locomotive?

[@CVisionProductions1]

The spot you’re referring to is just north of Two Harbors where the tracks cross Airport Road. We are looking east in that view. BLE 906 is equipped with a Leslie RS3L. It had a neat sound! Thank you for watching the video.

[@NashRailfan]

Where ever Missabe is, I wanna go. That being the Mesabe sub

[@CVisionProductions1]

There’s a lot to see along CN’s former Missabe lines! Great power, a good variety of trains, and beautiful Minnesota scenery. Thank you for watching, and for your comment.

[@NashRailfan]

@@CVisionProductions1 I used to live on the mesabe. I know what you mean.

[@MartyJM01]

That sound is awesome and so well-captured, I had it up so loud that I think the neighbor's china cabinet was rattling every time an SD40T rolled by. Great work people. Are there any SD40 locos still working in these areas or are they all gone now?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for the very nice comment. We hope your neighbors now have an appreciation for EMD’s finest machines. Believe it or not, some of these SD40-type units are still in daily use up in ore country. The end is near, however, as the “final boss” has arrived in the form of AC-traction GE power, that has now been equipped with straight air. The C40-8 fleet has already been decimated, and it won’t be long before the SD40s are removed from the ore pool. Thanks for watching, and keep that volume cranked!

[@GMCGUY-]

EMDs where are power houses in America for over 50 to 60 years and in some parts in America still today I really don't like the newer locomotives it's just they're everywhere the same locomotive it doesn't matter where you go it's the same engine usually DASH 9 S BNSF has a s*** ton of them CSX Norfolk Southern they're everywhere yes they have emds but they're fading unfortunately emds are my favorite type of engine

[@CVisionContributor]

Older EMDs are definitely where it’s at. Doesn’t get much better!

[@sd80mac]

Are there still any SD40-Q/SD40u units left on the Range?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Hello, Jonathon. Yes, those units can still be found in Minnesota’s iron ore country. Don’t expect them to lead on the mainline very often, as they are not equipped with PTC.

[@sd80mac]

@@CVisionProductions1 Thanks!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re very welcome.

[@bobjohnson205]

Some of those CN locomotives are GMD's and not EMD's

[@CVisionProductions1]

All in the family, if you will. You can’t go wrong with any of those classic locomotives. Thanks for watching!

[@bobjohnson205]

It would be nice if you mentioned the Canadian built GMD's in the title or description. After all, they are in many ways different from the EMD's.@@CVisionProductions1

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

Your videos awesome c vision thanks like pic me my girl

[@CVisionContributor]

You’re welcome, Taylor! And thank you!

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

@@CVisionContributor your welcome sure work for you guys someday

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

Those sd40us would look so much better with a cab mounted bell or something cause looking at them from the side , just looks ugly

[@CVisionContributor]

Their cab does look kind of odd. Agreed.

[@ebnertra0004]

That weird look is what I like about them. They're unique. I think I recall class lights on them when I was a kid. Definitely on the widecab 40s

[@CVisionProductions1]

@ebnertra000 The 6006 was always one of the better ones to get leading, since it still had intact class lights. Not to mention, a decent horn and good paint!