Today was my first day of not having to study for finals...so I decided to head over to Northtown. It also turned out to be the first day in a long time that there were not coal hoppers blocking the view from the West side of the tracks, which was very fortunate, considering I counted 22 separate trains pass my location. I got pictures of most them, which are listed in chronological order:

8:10 am - Westbound Mixed freight with SOO 6029/6030
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 1-07-2.jpg

8:22 am - Westbound mixed freight with UP 4227, FURX 8120, and UP 6738/2259/7709
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 1-07-5.jpg

8:26 am - Eastbound Autoracks with FURX 7269 and BNSF 7831
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-11.jpg

9:08 am - Westbound Grain with CSX 7642/7334
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-17.jpg

10:19 am - Westbound Mixed Freight with BNSF 4772/8636
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-24.jpg

10:29 am - Westbound Mixed Freight with BNSF 1530/1525
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-30.jpg

10:33 am - Short transfer with SOO 6030/6029(again, and they scared quite a few birds off the tracks)
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-36.jpg

10:37 am - Eastbound Mixed Freight with CP 9602/9556
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-40.jpg

10:42 am - Westbound Intermodal with BNSF 1067/4392/4357
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-45.jpg

10:58 am - Westbound Intermodal with BNSF 5247/795/703/7813
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-52.jpg

11:07 am - Eastbound Intermodal with BNSF 7703/4757/689
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-60.jpg

11:21 am - Westbound Intermodal with CP 8775(backed into Shoreham)
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-76.jpg

11:37 am - Eastbound Mixed Freight with BNSF 7151/7861
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-71.jpg

11:57 am - Eastbound Grain with BNSF 5160/970
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-80.jpg

12:12 pm - CN Transfer with 2228/5417
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-87.jpg

At this point I decided to give the CN a short chase and see if I couldn't find some interesting shots along the way up to New Brighton, caught it in a couple new places:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-92.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... -07-98.jpg

Then I went back to Northtown
12:47 pm - CP Intermodal with CP 9015/6004/8740(mostly empty, left its cars in Shoreham. They'll also return later.)
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-105.jpg


12:54 pm - Westbound Coal with BNSF 8285/8195(my first renumbered SD60M)/EMDX 9017
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-112.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-114.jpg

12:55 pm - Westbound BNSF Intermodal(behind the coal, no picture)

1:05 pm - Westbound Coal with BNSF 6154/CEFX 128
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-118.jpg

1:23 pm - Eastbound Grain with BNSF 4016/7775/7527
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-124.jpg

1:36 pm - Westbound Mixed Freight with NS 9349
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-130.jpg

1:54 pm - Eastbound Mixed Freight with the return of CP 9015/6004/8740
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-132.jpg

At this point I decided to take a short trip over to the Midway area and see if anything was going on over by the Minnesota Commercial roundhouse.
On the way I caught one of the earlier trains stopped in the Como area(the grade seems to be pretty steep right here...)
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-135.jpg

As I approached MNNR, #313 and Sluggo were bringing four ADM hoppers across Cleveland Ave(no picture). But I was able to capture the TCWR Saint Paul Turn as it crossed University Ave:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/ ... 07-140.jpg

The weather wasn't too great, but it was still a good day to be trackside.

WTG looks as if you did have a great day by the tracks, I hope you saved some for the weekend.

_________________
Milwaukee Road Matt

Glad you made the most of your day trackside despite the poor weather conditions.

_________________
John Fladung
Saint Paul, MN

_________________

Wisconsin Central 1987-2001
EMD SD40 1966-1971

It'll always be the WC transfer to me, even the CP dispatchers still call it the WC transfer.

Douglas H
New Brighton, MN