Missabe T-Birds, DM&IR Ore from the Thunderbird Mines

Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Crude Ore Trains from the Thunderbird Mines
See Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railroad action in scenic Northeastern Minnesota. This program features the DM&IR’s crude ore trains that traveled from the Thunderbird open pit mines to the Fairlane Taconite Plant at Forbes. Known as T-Birds, these crude ore shuttles used classic DM&IR ore cars and usually operated two trains at a time. You’ll see exciting runbys with vintage Missabe diesel power consisting of highhood SD9’s, SD18’s plus SDM’s, SD38-2’s and SD40-3’s. Also climb on board DM&IR #185, 187 and the 302 for some great cab rides from the Keenan Yard to the Thunderbird South Mine near Eveleth where the crude ore was loaded then delivered to the Fairlane Taconite Plant for processing into pellets. This historic DM&IR program was shot mainly in the early 1990’s from the cameras of Bradley A. Plets and Jerry Cvek and preserves a fascinating era on the Missabe Road.