Nostalgia & History > Few more CNW early 90s

Came across a few more shots from several visits to CNW trackage in the early to mid-90s:

1) Old and newer Operation Lifesaver units at Adams, WI, on SSPRA.
2) EB train DMPRA pounds the "J" diamond at West Chicago.
3) I wrote down "Black Dog coal train, Western Ave, St. Paul." Anyone know anything about this train?

JG

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4) BMDYC crossing Robert St. Bridge in St. Paul.
5) Northbound MCVPA at Rosemount on the Spine Line.

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Good shots and great memories!

awesome, thanks for sharing.
JC

Posted from Android

Some great photos. Photo four with the train crossing the Robert St. Bridge is my favorite.
Bob

I'll go with four as well. C&NW was a road I too often ignored, but regret doing so now!!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

To answer the question posed, the Black Dog power plant was on the former Omaha west of this location, nearest suburb I can think of is Burnsville.  It's just east of where I35W crosses the Minnesota River.  I believe this train came up the Spine Line from Nevada, IA, due to weight restrictions on bridges on the former Omaha line.  I remember reading somewhere that newer locomotives could not have full fuel tanks for that reason.  I believe the empties went down the Omaha to Sioux City, thence to California Junction and back on the Overland Route main to go back to the mines.  I can be corrected on any of this.  

Nice photos, thanks for posting.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Fantastic series!

I love #1 and the sticky paint!

The Black Dog plant in Burnsville was converted to natural gas by Xcel Energy in about 2015.
No more coal trains.
SR2