Western Railroad Discussion > NP SD45 3617 on a special NPRHA excursion

This was the motive power for the NPRHA Convention's round trip out of Duluth, MN and back 9-16-22.  The special run also included NP coach 517 and NP observation car 390.

It was a lot of fun sitting in the observation car watching the SD45 rocking back and forth and listening to it throttle up and down.  We were supposed to go as far as Two Harbors but had to turn back sooner as seen by the NP 3617 running around to the other end of the train.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

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NICE excursion series!

Larry

What a classy train. Thanks for sharing. 

Nice looking equipment.  Gerry

Interesting they didn't go to Two Harbors.  I wonder if the CN refused them permission.  Nice photos, thanks for posting.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Interesting portable ditch light set up. Must have taken a few minutes to wrestle them to the other end of the unit for the return trip?

I am sorry I couldn't go to the convention this year. 
Dave in MT

I was sorry you could not make it too Dave.  I was hoping you'd be there.  I knew right off it was going to be a great convention but it was made even better when the train riide was moved from Thursday to Friday.  To fill in the gap left on Thursday we got to tour the old NP Brainerd shops which included going into the steam fired powerhouse which was closed off the last convention in Brainerd a few years back.

From what I understand, the train ride was cut short as we also had a scheduled tour of the restored former NP depot at Aitkin, MN on the Staples to Superior main line we had to get to afterward.  As far as activities, probably the best NPRHA convention I have attended.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA.

monaddave Wrote:
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> Interesting portable ditch light set up. Must have
> taken a few minutes to wrestle them to the other
> end of the unit for the return trip?
>
> I am sorry I couldn't go to the convention this
> year. 
> Dave in MT

The Lake Superior Museum/North Shore Scenic is one of the all around most impressive operations I've seen.    Lots of operabl;e and off the beaten path equipment, and 27 miles of track to run  on.

Most of the time seems its either great equipment and no place to run it (1 mile of track doesnt count) ,  or track to run, but run-of-the-mill equipment.
 

ntharalson Wrote:
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> Interesting they didn't go to Two Harbors.  I
> wonder if the CN refused them permission.  Nice
> photos, thanks for posting.  
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA
.
NSSR has rights on CN to bridge between their track between Duluth and Two Harbors Junction and then a short stretch of track at the Two Harbors depot.  The distance on CN is short, but involves pulling onto the CTC-controlled main track and then backing down a spur into the depot.  It requires quite a bit of time and conflicts with any inbound loaded CN ore trains.  Understandably, CN gives preference to their ore trains.  If CN isn't going to let the NSSR train through in a reasonable amount of time, they will stop a couple miles short at Marbles Siding and unload the passengers who will be bussed on in to Two Harbors.  The train will follow when it can.  To go beyond Marbles into Two Harbors, run around the train, and reverse the procedure would take an hour, I would guess, so in this case they may have just run out of time given their other commitments.

Gordon 

Thanks, Gordon, that explains a lot.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

BrianA Wrote:
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> we got to tour the old NP Brainerd shops

Any pictures of the BNSF work equipment shops you could post?