I know this is a wide topic, which is why I am posting it here rather than in the specific railroad forums. I also know it may be a bit off-topic for this list....

I am making my annual railfan trip this year to Minnesota, among other places. I will be arriving in MN on October 5th, spending 4 days in St. Cloud, and then heading to Duluth for two days, at which point I will start heading back home.

While I'm in the area, I plan to follow the BNSF Staples sub west from Elk River to Staples or so, and I also plan to railfan the CP Paynesville Sub from Buffalo to Glenwood. I would like to catch Minnesota Commerical in action one day as well before I head to Duluth.

Does anyone know where the best places to (legally) catch the Minnesota Commerical are and when they operate?

Also, does anyone know where the best places to catch the DM&IR are?

I will be driving my vehicle up from North Carolina, and I have an ATCS system installed in the car. Does BNSF use the 900mhz frequencies on the Staples Sub and around Willmar, or is it the VHF system? If it is VHF I will go ahead and start looking for a VHF Maxtrac to swap one of my 900mhz radios out with when i'm there.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

Jake,

Here's the ATCS Monitor info you need:

The Staples Sub is 900mhz from Northtown yard to Big Lake (some portions are using fiber optics; Interstate to Coon Creek) The balance of the Staples Sub in on ARES VHF 161.010 (west of Staples it's 160.710).

The BNSF Wayzata and Morris Subs are on ARES VHF 161.010 (no 900 ATCS). Also most of the Twin Cities Terminal area is on ARES VHF (161.010).

The Canadian Pacific is all on 900 ATCS from Shoreham Yard (Minneapolis to Murray siding).

Contact me directly if you have more questions. We have over 600 miles displayed to the internet if you might have mobile internet access.

Don
odnrr@comcast.net

Hey Jake,

The MNNR runs many jobs a day during the week, and only a one or two jobs on Sunday. Saturday is not as busy as weekdays, but still has a few local jobs that go to work. A good place to scope out the Commercial at is by the Amtrak station. You'll get a view of all of the jobs going into the yard, or leaving. The jobs that leave out of the West end of the yard can be easily viewed from Raymond Ave bridge, and here you'll also be able to see the BNSF's Midway sub right alongside the yard. UP runs the Roadrailer in the afternoon (with power your used to seeing) Eastward as well, but most of the traffic you would see would be Stack and Z trains.

Jobs to keep an eye out for are Job 67, which on Sundays commonly has the 314 (C424) and T2 (an old NS Highhood GE) for power. That might be the normal power for this job, but Im not completely sure. Job 52 is the job that holds down the RS27's. They switch between the 316 and 318 every other day.

Job 52 is the Hennepin Job, which switches out Industries next and to the West of 280, just north of the BNSF's Saint Paul Sub. Job 67 is the Roseville Job, and that will switch out PACAL steel and other industries in the area, this is job uses the mainline to New Brighton the whole time, which is directly next to 280. This job goes on duty at 1300 I beleive, atleast on Sundays. Both of these will leave out of the yard below Raymond Ave.

The Commercial is a very loose organization, so you can actually just go to their building (or "base" as they call it) and sign a release form to look around the power that is sitting by the shop. Don't know if you care to do that or not, but it is an option.

Alec

What times do the Z-CHEM and Z-EMCH arrive and depart?

Unfortunately, worst times possible. The Z EMCH departs in the afternoon or evening and the Z CHEM arrives in the morning. You gotta go well into WI if you want decent light.