Canadian Railroads > Operations around the border at International Falls

Looks like I will be re-entering the US through International Falls in another 10 days or so.  I've never been there, and always just thought it was a simple CN/DWP border crossing.  I finally looked at a map, and realized that there had been an NP line coming into town as well.  It's not exactly a hot area of railfan discussion, so here I am pleading for information:

1). Any suggestions on how operations work in the area?  Any photo locations I should be aware of?  Is it possible to railfan in the immediate area around the border without getting stopped by Customs folks?

2). AND (admittedly, a bit off topic):  My wife and I are both fans of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, and their hometown of Frostbite Falls is widely trought of as a play on International Falls.  Are there any notable signs/statures/fiberglass reproductions noting this?  I would love to take a selfie alongside either of those thoughtful critters.
 

The actual border crossing for CN is several miles east of InternationalFalls at Ranier.

The Minnesota Dakota  & Western RR operates on both sides of the border in International Falls, trackage on the Canadian side is actually ownerd by MD&W's subsidary the International Bridge & Terminal Co. (IBT).  I have not been to the area in decades, but it used to be when you traveled by road between Internaional Falls, MN and Fort Francis, ON you crossed the border on a toll bridge shared with IBT, MDW tracks.  I have been told thatn MDW IBT activity has decreased in recent years with downturn in paper and forestry industry.