| The traveling shiploader for Midwest Energy Resources Company (MERC), Superior, WI, as seen from the Vista Star during Vista Fleet's Grand Sightseeing Tour of the Duluth & Superior Harbor at Duluth, MN on 25 Jun. '16. Underground augers convey the coal from the massive storage pile (out of frame to right) after it is unloaded from the train via a rotary dumping machine. The coal is delivered by 123-car BNSF unit trains, 14,000 tons at a time. UP also brings coal, their trains are likely similar in size and capacity. Some regional customers bring in trucks to pick up their coal. The nose of BNSF 9079, lead unit of a coal train which has just arrived, near the center of the photograph under the maroon metal sheathed conveyor housing which feeds the traveling shiploader. This information comes from the facilities website, http://www.midwestenergy.com/, which includes some interesting videos as well. I was fortunate enough to receive a tour of this impressive facility with a well-known group of like-minded railroad history enthusiasts. The massive General Mills Superior Elevator S is partially visible at left. There are a couple of photographs of that facility in this album which include historical information about it. Additional information about the harbor cruise can be found at http://www.vistafleet.com/. |