The North Shore Scenic Railroad Takes On New Role By KBJR News 1 Story Published: Mar 12, 2009 at 4:49 PM CDT Story Updated: Mar 12, 2009 at 8:36 PM CDT For the next week and a half, people can expect to see coal trains traveling between Duluth and Two Harbors. A rare sight to see, so what exactly are these trains doing on the tracks? LeAnn Wallace has our story. The North Shore Scenic railroad has temporarily taken on a new role this week. People are using less electricity this winter making for an excess amount of coal, which means fewer trains are needed to haul it to power plants. The extra cars that aren't in use need a place to hibernate and Ken Buehler, the Depot's director says the 28 miles of track that lies between Duluth and Two Harbors is the perfect spot. "The coal that they don't need is shipped to Midwest Energy in Superior where it's dumped and stored in the winter where there's a large storage capacity well the cars are already here in the Twin Ports, they just need a place to spend the winter." Buehler says the stretch of tracks won't be used until the summer months when the North Shore Scenic railroad starts running again. The crews that are operating the train are all volunteers. Frank Christopherson has been in the train business for years. "I started in 1943 as a 16 year old High School kid and worked in the round house the last two years I went to High School." He says he jumped at the chance to operate a train of this capacity again. "The fact that getting on a longer train, and in the winter time, plowing a little snow, it brings back old times." I decided while I was on board, to ask if I could play "conductor" for the day. "Now this is going to be my favorite part, and kind of what I've been waiting for. I've been allowed to blow the whistle. So this one here, twice? Forward? Honk Honk." The train isn't just a fun ride for volunteers and a nice spectacle for train enthusiasts...the extra money that's being made from storing these cars helps the depot. "We've had difficult times, many other attractions have had difficult times and this is a piece of salvation for us over the winter that will allow us to be a strong, fully functional attraction in the summer. This has saved our winter." In Duluth, LeAnn Wallace, the Northland's News Center.
