SD457500

11/02/2026

Have you ever seen an F unit pulling freight before? The LAST running FP7A in revenue service, is still hard at work on the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad! This locomotive is a 75 years old, and still hard at work.

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad has the last FP7A running i...

10/31/2026

The *first* former Soo Line SD60 to get Canadian Pacific colors! Canadian Pacific SD60 6250 departs out of Saint Paul Yard, and ducks under the signal bridge at Hoffman. This was the very first SD60 to be rebuilt, and was making one of its very first trips. Wild to think this was 15 years ago already!

October 31st, 2011. Saint Paul Yard, Saint Paul, MN.

10/30/2026

On Halloween Eve, back in 2013, we'll see Canadian Pacific 6260 and 6247, resting at Cardigan Jct. Due to a massive track project, this train was tied down at this spot overnight. This was when the railroad was upgrading this route, and starting to current all wesbound trains through here. The building in the background is TSI Inc - a leader in particle detection and semiconductor tooling.

October 30th, 2013. Shoreview, MN.

10/30/2026

Two matched Soo Line SD60s scream up Shortline Hill, under the cover of clouds. This was the Saint Paul Transfer, a daily train that ran from Saint Paul Yard to The Minnesota Commercial each day. Even the class lights were lit up on the leader, and the conductor gives a friendly wave. Image seeing this trackside today!

October 30th, 2011. Saint Paul, MN.

10/26/2026

Two SD9s make their way up the rails, just south of Wausaukee, WI. The combination of light clouds, fall colors, and the locomotives, really made for a cool scene. Seeing a duo of 70+ year old SD9s STILL in service was something else!

Video: https://youtu.be/f1DGMZn3E4c

October 20th, 2026. Wausaukee, WI.

10/26/2026

Have you ever seen a pair of SD9s running? Check out this cool looking duo on the ELS! This was like a step back in time, seeing two locomotives from the 1950s, STILL running in 2026. There are ample clips of the power switching, pace shots, horn sequences, and so much more to see!

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad has recently put some 1950s...

10/23/2026

Two matching Soo Line SD60s role into Northtown Yard, under gloomy skies. At this time, this was the CPBN Transfer, and would rotate out with BNSF quarterly. In a few short years, this power would be rebuilt, get Canadian Pacific colors, and be replaced by the current day train J15. The lead unit lives on as CP 6234.

October 23rd, 2011. 35th Ave, Northtown Yard, Mpls, MN.

10/23/2026

-Sunset at Escanaba-

While the sun might be setting for the day, it certainly isn't for the ELS! Thanks to new mgmt, the railroad is seeing a massive turnaround, and it's future is bright. As the sun sets, a string of F units sit outside of the locomotive shops. Imagine if these were put back into service!

Oct 19th, 2026, Escanaba, MI.

10/22/2026

Two ELS SD9s switch their cars around, after the CN departed from Pembine, WI. These two locomotives are relics from the 1950s, yet still in active use to this very day. This duo sounded great as it went about switching, and sorting out cars. I never thought I'd see a pair of SD9s working together again, let alone in 2026!

Video of this power will be posted on Monday!

Pembine, WI. October 20th, 2026.

10/22/2026

Two SD9s crawl up the rails, surrounded by vibrant fall colors on all sides in Northern Wisconsin. The locomotives horn could be heard long before the train came into view, and even smoked a bit! Both of these engines were built back in the late 1950s, and are still hauling freight well into 2026. This truly was a sight to see on the ELS!

Wausaukee, WI. Oct 20th, 2026