|
Missabe Road Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway By Frank King W/ DJ
The Missabe Road Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway By Frank King
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket. (DJ has damage)
Copyright 1972, FIFTH PRINTING 1979.
224 pages, indexed. 345 illustrations, maps, timetables, profiles, documentary reproductions, rosters of motive power.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE 7
CHAPTER ONETHE VERMILION ENCOUNTER 11
Early exploration of the Vermilion and Mesabi Ranges and discovery of high-grade iron ore on the Vermilion.
CHAPTER TWOA RAILROAD THROUGH THE WILDERNESS 15
Charlemagne Tower forms the Minnesota Iron Company and builds a railroad, the Duluth and Iron Range; the first trainload of Minnesota iron ore moves from Soudan on the Vermilion to the railroad's dock at Two Harbors, on Lake Superior, in late July, 1884; Tower's mine-railroad complex sold to the Illinois Steel Company, 1887.
CHAPTER THREETHE DULUTH AND IRON RANGE COMES OF AGE 33
Rapid development of the D&IR by new owners, 1887-1901; construction of Chandler Extension, Western Mesaba Branch and Stewart River Branch, etc., and ore docks at Two Harbors.
CHAPTER FOURTHE MERRITTS' GREAT ADVENTURE 43
Merritt brothers explore the Mesabi and find large body of soft ore at Mountain Iron in 1890 and construct the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway to move their ore to Lake Superior; first trainload of Mesabi Range ore reaches Allouez in 1892; railroad extended to a newly built dock at Duluth in 1893; Panic of 1893 and over-extension cause Merritts to bow out as John D. Rockefeller takes over in 1894.
CHAPTER FIVETHE DM&N UNDER ROCKEFELLER CONTROL 57
Great growth and development of DM&N under new owners; tonnage doubles by 1898; new branches and docks constructed to handle the traffic.
CHAPTER SIXTHE VIEW FROM THE YEAR 1901 67
Development of the D&IR and DM&N as of 1901, the year the two roads were acquired by the newly-formed United States Steel Corporation.
CHAPTER SEVENPEACE AND PROGRESS, 1901-1914 77
Steadily increasing ore tonnages, principally from the Mesabi Range, require constant improvements, including new docks, branches and motive power, in the years preceding World War I.
CHAPTER EIGHTFROM WORLD WAR I THROUGH THE TWENTIES 97
D&IR and DM&N play important war role; new tonnage records established in 1916; passenger revenues peak in 1920 and then decline; ore traffic at high level during 1920s
CHAPTER NINEDEPRESSION THIRTIES AND WARTIME FORTIES 115
D&IR leased to DM&N in 1930; economic depression of the 1930s severely felt; ore tonnages plummet to all-time low in 1932; locomotives and freight cars stand idle; DM&N and D&IR consolidate in 1938 to form Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway; new tonnage records set during World War II and high level of traffic continues throughout the 1940s.
CHAPTER TENOF IRON MINES AND MINING OPERATIONS 137
A review, largely pictorial, of ore mining operations before the taconite era.
CHAPTER ELEVENPOST-WORLD WAR II 153
Tonnages handled remain high until 1953 when all-time peak of almost 50,000,000 tons is attained; passenger service terminates; Missabe Road becomes completely dieselized
CHAPTER TWELVEBEGINNING OF THE TACONITE ERA 183
Ore supply picture changes, dimming prospects of Mesabi Range and the DM&IR; production of iron ore pellets from taconite proves commercially feasible, and promises brighter outlook for Minnesota ore industry and the railroad.
APPENDICES
A - ORE TONNAGE CHART 198
B - ALL-TIME LOCOMOTIVE ROSTER 200
C - MOTIVE POWER THROUGH THE YEARS, A PICTORIAL REVIEW 209
D - EVOLUTION OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION ORE CAR 218
E - THE MISSABE ROAD'S NAVY; TUG BOATS AND FIRE BOATS USED BY THE RAILROAD OVER THE YEARS 220
BIBLIOGRAPHY 222
INDEX 223
Nature endowed Minnesota with the nation's largest deposits of iron ore. Ore was discovered on the Vermilion Range, following a false gold rush, as early as 1865 but it was not until 1884 that the first shipments from the Range moved over the newly-formed Duluth and Iron Range Rail Road to Two Harbors on Lake Superior. Discovery of the huge Mesabi Range iron ore deposits in 1890 led to formation of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway, which handled its first train of ore to Lake Superior in 1892.
The story of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, whose name is synonymous with the handling of ore, is to a great extent the history of the iron ore industry in Minnesota. The present company was formed in 1938 through consolidation of its two principal predecessors - the Duluth and Iron Range Rail Road and the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway. Both railroads were constructed as integral parts of separate iron mining enterprises in Minnesota during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
The Missabe Road tells the complete story of all three railroads. In pictures and text it tells about their construction, the early operations, line extensions, passenger service, rolling stock, the steam locomotives and today's modern diesels. Featured is a review of both underground and open pit iron ore mining operations, and present-day taconite mining. Covered is the handling and transportation of ore to the gigantic Lake Superior ore docks at Two Harbors and Duluth, and the loading of the ore boats. Prominent in the Missabe Road's early history were such famous American financiers and industrialists as Charlemagne Tower, Sr., Henry W. Oliver, John D. Rockefeller, Frederick T. Gates, and Andrew Carnegie. The volume relates many personal experiences and happenings associated with railroading and mining during nearly nine decades of operation.
Today, iron ore remains the lifeblood of the Missabe Road. The carrier is an important Class 1 railroad, first class in operation, modern in physical plant and headed by an efficient management team. While famous for its classic "Yellowstone" steam locomotives, the Missabe Road of today is equipped with the most modern diesel locomotives and rolling stock.
The Missabe Road is a colorful account of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, presenting its good times and bad, its engines and anecdotes. The entertaining story is combined with a superb picture- gallery of railroading, iron mining, and lake shipping.
All pictures are of the actual item. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
Postage rates quoted are for shipments to the US only. Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and then ebay ships them to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping to Canada and other countries varies by weight.
Payment options
Payment must be received within 10 days. Paypal is accepted.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
