• Monday-What'sUP March 4 - 12:01 am

Bob Gilreath begins his work day with a commute from his home in Hubbell, crosses the Portage Lake Lift Bridge and heads on over to Michigan Tech. On Friday morning, this is the scene that greeted him, with the rising sun and an icy-fog shrouding Houghton. Mystically beautiful.

By afternoon, though, the sun had "burnt" off the icy-fog and left us with beautiful blue skies. You can see that in the photos Bob snapped of the Canadian National Railway train at the Railroad Crossing in L'Anse. They're busy hauling products to and from Celotex I would guess and if I'm not mistaken, I think this is about as far north as the railways still run here in this part of the U.P. (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Because it isn't something we see UP here that often, it's fun to see the trains going by alongside the road when you pass through L'Anse and even watching them as they cross the road isn't so bad, since the delay is never that long.

Thanks for the beautiful morning and blue sky afternoon shots, Bob!

It's interesting. When I first moved to the UP back in 2000 (How time flies!) I talked to someone that had grown up in the area. He was around 23 I think. He had never seen a train. I think the first time he saw one was when he was 17. He left the state on a trip and saw one then. It's amazing to me that an industry that helped to build the UP was not seen by someone who lived there for the first 17 years of his life. Of course I'm not sure if he crossed the lift bridge much during that time either or even left Calumet. That might explain it. Those were some good times.

Good clarity and the blue skies look nice.

They tore up the tracks when 41 was moved away from the Lake north of Baraga a couple of years ago- near the rest stop on top of the bluff. At the time it was mentioned that they would be replaced if the need arose.....right.

Can't go wrong with trains and sunrises! Great
pictures!

The Canadian National looking mighty fine!

Thanks for these shots, Bob! I can never see enough trains ~ they've always been a big part of my life!

Beautiful sky shot. I also love the train pics. I
miss the trains here in the Keweenaw.

Nice photos!

Really amazing to see such heavy locomotives on the old DSS&A track!

With all the talk of renewed mining, it will be interesting to see what happens if it comes to pass. Will folks prefer renewed rail traffic with one train once in awhile, or many heavy trucks pounding the highways?

Doesn't seem like trains would travel thru Houghton
as in the olden days...

Here is a site covering discussion on U.P. trains.

www.michiganrailroads.com.

When I was a kid, my Dad took me to see a train wreck on the tracks right in that area.

I was Talking earlier that I know I'm A little
old. Because I can remember when we use to
watch the trains ran through Hancock on there
way up to Calumet and back.

If passenger trains were still leaving and returning locally I would be on one all the time going to or coming back from somewhere.
Airports are a pain and the airlines these days charge extra for everything they can think of.

Eddyfitz (Eddyfitz):
Here is a site covering discussion on U.P. trains.
www.michiganrailroads.com/MichRRs/Discuss/Dis,http

That's not a good link, was this the one you meant?
(click →) Discussion Group … Michigan's Upper Peninsula Railroads.
The home page is here: (click →) MichiganRailroads.com

Thanks FRNash, we fixed the link in Eddyfitz's post. :-)

only trouble with trains Houghton or hancock
ice rink ii in the way,plus parking deck.