Ex-WSOR 2054 works the Bio Energy facility in Fairmont on a rainy Saturday.

Several years ago I set a goal to capture every industrial unit in the state of Minnesota. It seems my quest is never ending; just when I think I have made a dent in my list - a new unit shows up somewhere. Despite having spent a weekend driving around southwestern Minnesota two years ago, it was time to head back. I wanted to get the ones I missed, and the new ones that have shown up. The day I left, I knew of only three for-sure-things: 1. Where I was starting from; 2. What I wanted to shoot; 3. Where I would end my days.

Departing Minneapolis around 5am I chased the former Milwaukee Road line, now operated by the Twin Cities & Western (TC&W) to Glencoe, MN. In Glencoe I had hoped to find former-Norfolk Southern slug units and their SW1200 companion (which I last saw in 2006 at Mankato, still working for its prior owner, Railworks).

Arriving in Glencoe I made my way to the TC&W yard. I found several TC&W and Red River Valley & Western (RRV&W) - TC&W's sister railroad - locomotives sitting about. However, the units I was in search of were no where to be found. Strike one. Not wanting to start my day out like this, I said a quick "Railfan Prayer" and continued along the TC&W tracks to my next stop in Montevideo, at the Milwaukee Road Heritage park.

Although a fallen flag is not part of this, my great industrial locomotive hunt, it still is a must stop for any railfan in search of a piece of railroad history! Coming into town it's hard to miss the heritage park as a large, neon Milwaukee Road sign stands high above the buildings and points the way to the park. Being a Saturday, I had hoped to find the building open for visitors, however this was not the case. So it was off to walk the grounds and check out the rolling stock which sits about the park. The heritage park is located at the site of a former Milwaukee Road roundhouse and yard. This area once served as a main change point for crews and servicing location for the Milwaukee Road's Trans-Con line from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest. Today all that remains is the depot, the turntable, and the foundation of the roundhouse. Any tracks that remain hold several pieces of Milwaukee Road passenger cars, a boxcar, a gondola, a snowplow and a diesel-electric crane. Most pieces of equipment have been repaired and are in great shape. I was also surprised to find a former NSP (Northern States Power) SW1 locomotive from the old Granite Falls power plant sitting in front of the diesel shed which houses a GE tonner unit. Oddly, this unit has been painted for the Milwaukee Road, but never was owned by the railroad.

Getting my shots and taking time to drift off into my "what it must have been like" thoughts, I was off and running. My sights were set on Marshall, and a date with the industrial units of the ADM plant in town there.

For most of the morning the sky was gray with light drizzle falling, so it was not the best day for railfanning, but some times you have to make the best of opportunities when you can, right?

Before Marshall, I had two stops to make. The first one was Clarkfield, the second was Hanley Falls. In Clarkfield I would find ADM 7586 working for New Ag Horizons getting a free engine wash from Mother Nature. A few shutter clicks and off I went to stop number two. In Hanley Falls, it was here I hoped to cross off another unit - one which I had searched for back in 2006. Crossing the tracks into Hanley Falls I could see a BNSF "earthworm" train at the elevator, however the Saturday syndrome was in full effect! The locomotive (not on the BNSF train) was tucked away in the engine shed. Strike two!

Behind in the count, I was checking for signs from the coach, I pushed on to Marshall. As I arrived in Marshall, the drizzle had stopped and for a moment the sun peaked out of the clouds. The brief sunshine allowed me a perfect shot of a BNSF local heading through town. Two SD40-2s, which today are hard to find, was a nice find. One of the aging diesels was recently renumbered, making it an old unit, but a new one at the same time.

After the local cleared I headed north along the road next to the ADM plant looking for the two units they have. One should be painted in ADM colors and the other still in BN green. Scanning the fence line I saw no sign of the ADM unit, but the Ex-BN unit still wore its BN road number (an SW1200 that never saw the BN-ATSF merger), but lettered for Minnesota Corn Processors. It was in full view and ready to have its picture taken. Calling this a ball and a foul tip, I'm catching up in the count and headed of town.

Now, in addition to industrial units, I have started shooting steam locomotives wherever and whenever I can. Along my planned route, I would find two. The first one I came across sits in the town of Tracy, MN at a small, old-time park. Here an old Soo 0-6-0 (which seemingly gets a new paint job and relettered for a different railroad every year) sits along with a C&NW caboose. A short drive away to Currie is a railroad park. This small town hosts the former Georgia Northern 102, a 4-6-0 along with a Brookfield-built 8 ton locomotive. I called this one a home run.

After my steam side trip, I was back in industrial mode. From Currie I made a beeline to Heron Lake, to catch the Independent Locomotive Services (ILS) locomotive that works the bioenergy plant. The bioenergy plant had not existed during my first trip to this area, so this was a new catch for me and one I has very happy to make. ILSX 4551, a GP9, had stationed in a great spot to be photographed from the road.

My final destination was Fairmont, MN. I headed for I-90 and followed the tracks to the town of Alpha, where, to my surprise, I found an unnumbered GE 35Tonner at the Cargill elevator. Back tracking eastbound I made it to Fairmont. In town, I headed straight for the Cargill complex where I hoped to find the two SW units assigned here. I drove down every dead-end road I could find, but only ended up finding one of the two. Not bad, in baseball terms, I counted another ball and foul tip; the count is now even after my home run earlier.

Needless to say, my hunt was not over. Seeing a CHS elevator in the distance, I drove over to the plant not knowing what if anything I would find. Up the driveway I went when I could see what looked to be a former Union Pacific SW1500 just beyond the fence. I could not tell if it was out of range or was it. I hatched a plan when I saw a lady in the scale hut. My rental car had Missouri plates on it and I used them to my advantage. Pulling up to the building I explained to her I was from out of state and wanted to know if I could get a picture of their locomotive. She looked puzzled and glanced at the license plate, then said "Sure, just go over there and have fun." With a quick thanks and a smile, I was off to get my prize. Getting my picture I headed out of the complex with a wave and a chuckle.

I was as happy as could be, or so I thought. That was until I spotted another surprise just across the road. There sat a former Wisconsin Southern SD20, now lettered for "BEBX." Not knowing whom it was for or why it was here, all I knew it is in an open area and I had to get a shot.

Feeling good knowing I was the first to shoot this unit, I set off for my last stop. In Blue Earth I planned to get a shot of the Farmers' Elevator's GE 65Tonner. After getting my shot in Blue Earth, in addition to a few UP units tied down, I backtracked to Fairmont.

In Fairmont, I tied down for the night before I heading home. The next morning, I would drive 150 miles - a direct route home - and not the 380 twisting and turning mile route I took today. With another five industrial units checked off my list, I called this a successful trip. In the future, it is a trip I will make again, as the changing times add new units to my list.