The sun came out yesterday here, and I also went railfanning.

First, I saw an intermodal train stopped over the liftbridge, and 2 crossings. But the engines were inaccessible, so I went south 20 miles to Frontenac and saw a green signal. As soon as I got the camera, I found that the white balance was on 'cloudy' and the exposure was way too high. By the time I got it set, the train was going by. (It had a CEFX 1000-series on the point.) Then I chased it past a siding where it overtook a local with 2 SOO units. After chasing it for about 40 miles, I went to a crossing. The gravel road which went under the highway looped around through the seemingly endless bluffs. You couldn't see the train, either. When I arrived at the crossing, guess what I found out? The train already went by.

Later, I saw a train of grain MT's, an 8-hour late Empire Builder, and a very short 15-car intermodal.

Saw about 6 trains, but I got mediocre photos of one. The chase was very thrilling, as the train was going 60mph.

I got the Amtrak at Red Wing on my way back up to the cities, we must have crossed paths at some point.

Did you see the loaded coal? I first saw it in Hastings. Chased it on 291 (?) and stayed ahead of it but couldn't get it in Red Wing. At Wabasha we crossed into Nelson, WI.

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The railfan side

My pictures

I was away from the tracks at the time he rolled by. BTW if you turn south in Nelson about a half hours drive you will arrive in Alma, if you go north there are only a few areas that are good for shots, Bay City has a siding with maintenance building and just north of there you can get great shots of trains at track speed from the shoulder than the tracks turn and go down grade from the road no good locations until Prescott. I will be out to Lorretto next weekend, catching (I hope) some great CP action

I did not want to steal Frederick's thunder, as I have blogged this trip.

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The railfan side

My pictures

Not the coal train, but I did catch the 199.

Whoops! Thought I was logged in.