Hazy Staples Morning (and one Afternoon shot)

Work took me south on Wednesday morning, offering the chance to pass through Staples just after sunrise. With a high humidity haze in the air, I was wondering if there would be any photo opportunities as I passed through town.

Sure enough, I spotted a couple of headlights as I passed the Dower Lake station sign. There were a number of coal trains parked in the yard, and a couple of them had units pointed west, away from the sun. Turned out they were EMD DPU's, waiting on the rear of loads for the word to head east. The high humidity created hazy conditions so I jumped out and crossed the ditch for a backlit shot.


With all the trains in the yard, I figured there might be some power up front and swung around to the south side of the tracks to take a look. There sure was power lined up! I shot four side by side loaded coal trains, all with EMD AC units on the point. I was wishing that I had a little more time to wait for better light, but duty called.


Nothing else gave me a chance at a photo on the way down. I was in the Metro overnight, and spent some time snooping around Northtown yard, as detailed in another post. On the return trip the following day, action was fast and furious after I got past St. Cloud, but I needed to get home and only had a chance to photograph a single train, which I chose because of an unusual motive power set. This merchandise train was behind and SD70ACe, SD70MAC, and an NS GE. The EMD AC units are almost always on coal in this area, so I thought I should record this unusual instance.


The train is shown here rounding the curve just east of the Highway 10 overpass at Lincoln. The WFAX coal loads are waiting for a parade of at least three westbounds before they can continue their eastward journey on this single-track portion of the Staples Sub.

That's all for now. Till next time-

Jim, out.