 |
| Satellite |
Northern Pacific
(Philip Schwarz Photography, be sure to scroll down past the advertisements for more photos; Substreet, includes some interior photos; 3D Satellite)
The Northern Pacific dock was abandoned in 1970 in favor of the Great Northern docks when NP and GN became part of the Burlington Northern merger in 1970.
 |
| David Schauer posted A nice flashback to 1953 as the Wilfred Sykes (1949) is viewed loading from the north (west) side of Great Northern Dock 1 in Allouez, Superior. Notice the pilings as a part of a bulwark against the Nemadji River dumping sediment into Dock 1. Basgen Photography Gary Nelson: A lot of boats would go aground on the inner end on that west of 1 due to the Nemadji. Also I'm wondering if this picture was taken in the late fall due to the fact the gantry is out on the outer end of the dock. That is used to shake the Frozen material out of the cars. Normally they keep them on the inner end when not in use. David Schauer: Gary Nelson Good eye on the skull cracker position. |
 |
| David Schauer posted (source) A Friday flashback from the Basgen files shows coal cars being dumped at Burlington Northern Dock 2 in Allouez. No date on the medium format slide, but Basgen's file numbering system suggests this was in 1975, a year before MERC/SMET became operational. BN and Detroit Edison might have moved some limited coal cargoes through the docks to calibrate burning of low sulfur western coal in the boilers at DE power plants before switching over the following year. Given Basgen was hired to take a photo of this suggests it was the first shipment of western coal to DE from Superior. I can only imagine how time consuming this process was as the gates on the coal cars didn't line up with the dock pocket openings, thus requiring constant re-positioning. Kenneth G Johnson Is that service boat from Fraser’s. David Schauer Fuel boat. Justin Olsen Interesting that ASC had the leaf hatches on the Boland and Edison, while Bradley had the 1 piece covers on the Munson. Brian Bernard The Munson was built with leaf hatch covers. During the Winter of 1975-76, when she was lengthened 102 feet, she received a rebuilt deck with one-piece hatch covers and conversion from coal to oil firing. While the Boland and Edison have hatches on 12-foot centers, the Munson had her hatches, as built, on 24-foot centers. Rick Knutson Yes, these coal hoppers (BN 526400-526999) were built new (600 cars) by Pullman in 1975 for BN specifically to haul PRB coal - definitely 1975. [I wonder where Detroit Edison normally loaded coal from the Midwest.] |
NP built the dock in 1912 to compete with the docks that GN (see below) had built. "The dock had 102 ore pockets and stood 80 feet over the surface of Lake Superior, high enough to let gravity fill the holds of lakers at the dock. In 1917 the dock was extended further into the bay to allow more ships to load simultaneously. A third addition was added in 1925, bringing the total length to just under 1,900 feet with 300 pockets." [Substreet-NP, click the link for some interior photos]
(new window) At Loon’s Foot Landing in Superior’s Allouez neighborhood, near the mouth of the Nemadji River in the Allouez Bay Channel, stands the remains of the Northern Pacific Ore Dock — built from 1912-13; abandoned by 1970. In July, Liftoff Aerials sent the PDD Drone up to have a bird’s-eye view of the old concrete-and-steel structure. The rail connection to the dock was removed in the 1980s and various other parts have been gutted over time. As shown in the video, the dock is not far from a cluster of inactive Great Northern docks and the active Burlington Northern Santa Fe Dock 5, the Twin Ports’ largest taconite transshipment facility. [PerfectDuluthDay-NP, click the link to see some photos]
 |
| David Hiett posted Aerial view of the GN Allouez Ore Docks (Left) and the single NP Ore Dock (right) in Superior Wisconsin, 1964. I had a great uncle who worked the NP dock before he was drafted into WWI. |
Abandoned Docks #1, #2 and #4 in the foreground and Dock #5 in the background.
 |
| David Schauer posted Algoma Strongfield has just finished loading ore at BNSF 5 in Superior for Hamilton, Ontario. We didn't stay around for its departure as the John G. Munson was inbound Duluth. Unused conventional gravity docks 1, 2 and 4 are in the foreground (built by the Great Northern Railway). The near Dock No. 1 is where the Fitz loaded on its last trip. 5/23/2022 Dave Wagner: Dock 1 should have a belt put back on her and back in use, stop delays at dock 5 . James Torgeson: Dave Wagner Belts. bearings, wiring… |
 |
| Noah Davidson commented on a post [Photo taken Oct 30, 2023.] |
Great Northern Docks #1-4
Dock 1, the west one, was built in 1892 by the Duluth & Winnipeg Railroad and connected with the Duluth, Mesabi and Northern Railroad to move iron ore from the Mesabi Range to ships. James J. Hill acquired these railroads and made them part of the Great Northern Empire. Dock #2 was built in 1899 and Dock #3 was built in 1902. All three of these docks were built using timber. Consequently, #2 was rebuilt in 1906-07 and #3 was rebuilt in 1917. In the 1920s, #1 and #2 were rebuilt with concrete and steel. But #3 was rebuilt with timber in 1921 and again in 1941. I assume timber was used in 1941 because of the steel shortage during the war. Dock #4 was built in 1911 using concrete and steel and was GN's first permanent ore dock on Allouez Bay. Thus it is the oldest structure still standing. The wooden Dock #3 was razed in 1963. [Wikimapia] (Actually, "Dock 3, the all-timber, was phased out of service in 1958 and dismantled in 1965." Dock #4, the shortest, was taken out of service in 1975 after it had been used for coal and potash. "In 1977 a new, 8 million dollar taconite-only facility was opened on the other side of the bay, making Docks 1 and 2 obsolete. Dock 2 would be phased out in 1980 and Dock 1 would last until 1988. And so the first was the last." [Substreet-history])
"There were once over 1,300 pockets. As the ore ran into the hatches of the ships from the pockets, dropped through long chutes, water ballast, which keeps the ships navigable when empty of ore, was pumped out. The total storage capacity was 441,800 tons, and 16 vessels could be loaded simultaneously without interference." [caddopubusa]
 |
| John F. Lawrence posted Rhys Keever: from left to right i see joseph h thompson closest to where it was taken, george m humphrey, than some turrwts Daniel Sheffer: 5 ships at once!! Matthew Colie: I would love to know the year. I started working the lakes in 1970 and straight deckers were already a minority. |
 |
| Dusty Bjornstad posted I picked up this postcard recently of the Great Northern docks in Superior Wi, there's alot going on here and alot has changed. Blake Twyford: Dock 5 is on the left where the old [C&NW] coal dock is pictured…built in 76…we’ve shipped over 9 million tons this year…and counting [Some comments indicate that the Edmund Fitzgerald took her last load from Dock #1 in 1975. #1 is on the right side. Docks 1, 2 and 4 still stand. Dock #3 was built with timber, and it was phased out in 1958 and dismantled in 1965.] James Torgeson shared Here's a vintage postcard view of the four Great Northern Railway ore docks in the Allouez neighborhood of Superior, Wisconsin. The docks are numbered 1 to 4 from the right, and Dock #1 is where the Str. Edmund Fitzgerald loaded her final cargo on the beautiful fall afternoon of November 9, 1975. Dock #3 is now long gone, and the other three abandoned, replaced by the modern silo/shiploader BNSF Railway Dock #5 that is located at the site of the coal dock to the left. Out of sight to the right is the Northern Pacific Railway ore dock that primarily handled ore from the Cuyuna Iron Range. It is still standing, more or less, after being abandoned upon the Burlington Northern Railroad merger in 1970. Brett Miller: Don’t ever remember seeing in photos a grain elevator on the far left of the photo left of the coal dock ?Tim Pranke: James Torgeson Cargill, serviced by the Omaha. https://images.app.goo.gl/88j8kikoMxd4LFWTA |
 |
| Marty Bernard posted 3. Great Northern ore docks, Superior, Wisconsin, circa 1910. Photographs and captions from the Minnesota Historical Society. |
Jeff Lemke posted three photos with the comment:
Here's a couple more pics from my collection showing the Great Northern Railway's gravity ore dock installation in Superior, Wisconsin on Allouez Bay.James Torgeson shared with the comment: "The Great Northern Railway ore docks in Allouez (Superior), WI during their heyday. Three remain standing today, but are abandoned. On November 9, 1975, at what was by then Burlington Northern Ore Dock #1 (rightmost in first photo), the Edmund Fitzgerald loaded what would be her final cargo."
The first shot was taken in 1940. I feel the most important thing to share about this view today is that through the generosity of two people I have more than a thousand similar views to share with you covering the Great Northern's ore docks at Allouez in Superior, Wisconsin. For a long time I thought that I was the biggest fan of the GN's iron ore ops at Allouez until I met (the late) Doug Addison and his close friend Lee Thompson. Doug authored a book about the GN's ore docks. Lee was by his side when he was shooting photographs on top of those docks. Lee helped to get the Kelly Lake to Allouez book produced as well. I helped a little bit on those projects. But Doug and Lee are the two guys who deserve the praise for going out of their way to document the old GN ore docks so that future generations could have some idea about how great these docks were, from an engineering standpoint, and from an employment standpoint. Thousands of men worked on these docks throughout the years and that employment helped to fuel a good economy throughout the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior. Lee Thompson was so kind to provide me with access to all of his images, all of Doug's images, and quite a few more from a variety of ore fans that they both called their friends. So I hope to be able to share many more of their images here so that everyone can better understand just how great the Great Northern was—especially at Allouez—located at the east end of Superior, Wisconsin.
The 2nd shot was taken in 1960. It's from an old negative that was thrown away account all the scratches in the lower left corner. I fished it out of the trash and figured out how to fix the rest of it. It shows the Great Northern Railway's ore dock complex in Superior intact and still operating as intended including Dock 3—the only remaining wooden dock located here, and easily the least-photographed of the GN's four modern ore docks. The docks were numbered 1 through 4 left to right from this vantage point. The face of the waterfront underwent change here when demotion crews moved in during April 1964 to begin the process of dismantling Dock 3. The dock was idle for the three previous seasons account lower tonnages of ore coming onto the docks. Given that fact, and the fact that the timber structure required more expensive repairs to keep it operation than the concrete and steel ore docks that flank it, the decision was made to remove the dock down to the waterline. Dock 3 was 1,956 feet long, stood 77 feet high above the water, was 60 feet wide, and held 97,800 tons of ore when each of its 326 ore pockets was fully loaded. Each pocket held the contents of six standard 50-ton ore cars. It was built in 1902, refurbished in 1917, and extensively remodeled in 1942-1944 to keep up with the growing war demands. United General Contractors of Duluth was awarded the contract to dismantled this dock and given 3 years to complete the work. The first parts to go were the rails themselves, then the other steel parts including the ore chutes and hoisting equipment, cables and other metal hardware. The disassembly of the timber approach trestle came next. The dock itself came down last and that was accomplished by the contractor building a temporary road over the tops of the approach pilings that were already cut off at water level. While the contractor was optimistic that the dock could be taken down in less than 3 years the men who worked here were more pessimistic about it for one reason. During 1942-1944 when the dock was remodeled, reinforced precast concrete slabs were added to the dock to line each of its 326 ore pockets. So this "all wooden" ore dock was a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. The project was completed on time but not without more effort than was originally anticipated account of all of these extra concrete obstacles. So this view shows well how before Dock 4 was built new of concrete and steel, the approach trestle for Dock 3 came off of the same approach trestles used to access Docks 1 and 2. Shortly after Dock 4 was completed the old approach to Dock 3 was removed, cut off at the waterline, then rebuilt so that Docks 3 and 4 shared a common trestle, just like Docks 1 and 2.
The third image helps to round out the story of how the docks eventually turned into just a single taconite dock built by BN and inherited by BNSF. The largest gravity iron ore dock installation in the world was right here on Allouez Bay in Superior, Wisconsin. This view shows the complex at its zenith with all four gravity docks still in operation. Left to right are Docks 1, 2, 3 and 4. The first to go was Dock 3 that was built of wood. It was dismantled and taken down to the water line. The timber pilings can still be seen here today when the water level is sufficiently low. Dock 4 was shuttered next. Docks 1 and 2 made the transition to the taconite era but only Dock 1 was actually set up to be fed pellets from the conveyor system that was developed in 1966. Dock 2 was the last GN dock to load straight ore but it did load pellets too that were dumped into its pockets straight from the ore cars instead of the conveyor. The coal pile top right is today the site of BNSF Dock 5 which is a series of large concrete and steel silos that look more like a grain elevator than an ore dock. They store and transload taconite pellets into the biggest bulk carriers on the Great Lakes; the thousand-footers. The old docks were expensive to maintain and staff. When it became obvious that the old ore docks wouldn't be able to berth or load such large, wide ships, a new way to load pellets was developed and Dock 5 was born. It is the only remaining active ore dock in Superior. Over in Duluth, DM&IR was grappling with the same issue and they drew up plans to build a new pellet dock in Duluth (similar to that used by Erie Mining at the time) that would have been built parallel to St. Louis Bay just east of the present Missabe Docks 5 and 6. Costs were prohibitive so they retrofitted one standard ore dock with long booms that could reach out far enough to load the thousand foot class of boats and built their taconite storage facility where the new dock would have been built. Missabe also had the advantage of distance between its two ore docks. Here at Allouez everything was just too close together, too close for comfort, so GN and Hanna engineers decided to build a whole new taconite facility to replace all of what we see in this picture.
I hope that helps to explain just a teeny bit of what went on here. I'm lucky to have operated on the dock shoves that took loaded ore cars up and onto these docks. And empties (MTYS) back down again. There's so much more to the story too. The Allouez iron ore complex of yards and docks was really something, back in those days. I sure am glad I had a chance to see it and photograph it when it was still in full operation in that pre-Dock 5 era.
Cheers!
Jeff Lemke Trains, Inc.
Travis Taylor shared with the comment: "Bet all of these ships are now gone, can’t name any other than maybe one is the Fitz? No clue lol"
Richard Jenkins: The nearest one in the third photo is the Joseph H. Thompson (still with us as a barge), and the next one over from her is the George M. Humphrey (scrapped in the mid-1980s). The middle boat in the second pic looks like either the Merton E. Farr or James Davidson (from what look like spaces between the letters I’m thinking Farr). That’s about all I can positively ID at a glance anyway.
Jim Luke: Possibly David M. Weir in the same photo as the Farr. I see The International and two Great Lakes SS steamers, maybe Horace S. Wilkinson and John B. Cowle in the Humphrey/Thompson photo?
Henry Tupper: My only memory is that we tied up as I went on watch at 8 am as an oiler. Spent the entire watch pumping out ballast fast as we were able to because ore can be loaded faster than pumps can take out the water.
.
A new view of BNSF Dock #5:
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| PerfectDuluthDay-postcards, click the link to see several more postcards |
 |
| Kelly Campy shared November 19th, 1955 The Great Northern Ore Docks in Allouez, WI (Superior,WI) Andy Eckroth BNSF#5 stands where the bulk terminal on far right is seen in the photo. Vessels loading at BNSF 5 use the Superior entry. Roger Garrison That was back in the day when ore cars would be "steamed" to loosen the ore before going on to the docks for boat loading. Kelly Campy shared |
 |
| Chris Mazzella posted C H McCullough Jr loading at Great Northern Dock 3 in Superior. Photographer and date unknown. |
 |
| David Schauer posted A few months after the Burlington Northern merger, a lone laker loads at Dock 4 in Superior (Allouez). In the distance you can see the original taconite storage area at the rail yard - a much smaller footprint than today. September 11, 1970 - Basgen Photography David Szymanski: .what railroad line is going thru the center of the picture? you look close enough you can even see a freight train in the right center. David Schauer: David Szymanski CNW, former Omaha Road. Line still in service today for Union Pacific. Dave Brown: The Allouez yard that fed the docks had over 100 yard tracks. We would shove onto the docks with a man up high on the first car and one on the last car to pass signs to the engineer. No radios in those days. |
 |
| Dan Mackey posted An aerial view of GN/BN/BNSF ore Docks 1 & 2 in Allouez/Superior, WI June 03, 2006 my photo. There were once 4 active ore docks at this facility, when BN dock 5 was built in the 1970's it made the gravity docks obsolete, these last saw service in the early 1980's. Steven Kakoczki Dock No.1 is where Edmund Fitzgerald took her last load of iron ore. Alexander Sandy 26 thousand tons more than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty If I am not mistaken... |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Dan's post They shove the ore cars up a ramp onto the top of the dock. Then they open the hopper doors and let the iron ore fall into the pockets. Later they lower a chute from the pocket into a hold and let the iron ore fall into the ship. No conveyor belts are harmed during the process of loading. This 3D Satellite more clearly shows the abandoned ramps that are still at docks 1 & 2. https://www.google.com/.../@46.6943203,-92.../data=!3m1!1e |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Dan's post A satellite image of the dock in Marquette, MI shows some ore cars on top of the dock. There are a couple of videos at the end of these notes that show the operation. https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/.../marquette-mi... |
 |
| James Torgeson posted All four Great Northern Railway ore docks are shown in this circa-1954 view. The Str. George M. Humphrey is loading at Ore Dock #1, and is likely destined for Zug Island near Detroit or Hanna Furnace in Buffalo. Dock #1 is where the Edmund Fitzgerald loaded her final cargo on November 9, 1975. Today, Dock #3 is gone and the other three are long abandoned. On the bright side, BNSF Ore Dock #5 now occupies the site of the coal dock [Pittsburgh Dock #5] in the background and is active. |
 |
| Steve Vanden Bosch posted, cropped This is from the 1919 Greens Directory Northern Pacific Dock Allouez Wisconsin. |
 |
| Mark Mcgowan posted One of the Great Northern's iron ore loading docks at Allouez Bay, Wisconsin in 1897. Michael Ponsetto: Whaleback, there’s one preserved in Superior, WI ... SS Meteor Mark Manz: Michael Ponsetto yea one. It’s the only one, anywhere, that was preserved. |
The Library of Congress labelled these photos at Allouez, WI. Instead, I think they are at the Alleouz neighborhood in Superior, WI.
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063766-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) Iron ore docks at Allouez, Wisconsin |
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063826-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) Great Northern ore docks at Allouez, Wisconsin. These are the largest and most modern in the world |
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063770-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) Iron ore docks at Allouez, Wisconsin Shorpy has a darker exposure (source) |
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063782-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) Cars of iron ore being emptied into bins on ore docks. Allouez, Wisconsin |
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063807-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) Loading iron ore into hold of boat. First mate directing operations. Allouez, Wisconsin |
 |
| Photo from LC-USF34-063754-D from LOT 1121 (53 photos) On top of the ore docks, Allouez, Wisconsin. Leavers control the chutes which load ore into hold of ship [We can see a couple of ore punchers trying to break loose the iron ore so that it will fall into its pocket. Notice the poles that have been put on the sides to support the ore punchers.] Carl Venzke posted On top of the ore docks, Allouez, Wisconsin. Leavers control the chutes which load ore into the hold of a ship. August 1941 - John Vachon photo James Vaitkunas: Note the arch-bar trucks and all-wood cars. Must have put them back into use as the prep for war production ramped up. Tom Lyman shared |
 |
| Substreet-400men, click this link for a description of how the men dealt with frozen ore in the cars and pockets On top of the light hoop, 160-feet up, a ship comes into port, ready to load-up. If you look really close, you can see my shadow cast on the dock below, courtesy of the full moon. [We can see the pilings of Dock #3 in the water.] |
 |
| Chris Mazzella posted Cadillac loading at Great Northern Dock 4, shot from dock 3. Basgen photo |
BNSF/BN Dock #5
A time-lapse video of the M/V Stewart J. Cort going to the BNSF dock.
 |
| Brock Krenke posted CSL Tadoussac loading at BN dock 5 earlier this morning [Oct 8, 2021]. Still there as of 13:10 Bryan Howell: I thought the unloading boom was photoshopped out at first. lol Nice job hiding it. [The unloading boom is angled out. We are looking down its length.] |
 |
| David Schauer posted Fresh from an extended lay-up in Thunder Bay, Algoma Discovery loads ore at BNSF in Superior, just what its fleetmate Tim. S. Dool did a few weeks ago. While the similar Algoma Guardian received a 5-year survey/inspection recently, the Discovery is nearing the end of its approved survey period, hence the reason we wanted to photograph it. 9/24/2022 |
 |
| Matthew Carlson commented on David's post Seems like just yesterday I seen her leave. 😂. It’s already lonely here, no more neighbors. [This is the dock next to Agricore United Elevator S.] |
 |
| Michael Konczak posted Algowood loading at BN#5 in Superior, June 1989. Photo by Michael Konczak |
Chris Mazzella posted two photos with the comment: "James L Oberstar taking on the last of her cargo at BN 5 in Superior, WI."
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
%20Fans%20of%20the%20Book%20Know%20Your%20Ships%20_%20James%20L%20Oberstar%20taking%20on%20the%20last%20of%20h.png) |
| Comments on Chris' post |
 |
| Gary Clark posted Like REO Speedwagon....Indiana Harbor was ridin' the storm out at the BNSF dock in Superior on December 16. |
I saved the satellite image because it caught a boat at the dock.
 |
| 3D Satellite |
 |
| David Schauer posted A rare occurrence today as the H. Lee White took on ore from former fleetmate Burns Harbor at BNSF Dock 5. The Burns Harbor had loaded heavy and was touching bottom, so it needed to unload a portion of its cargo. The White was enroute to Silver Bay when it was diverted to Superior to handle the lightering. The crew in the small boat was checking draft readings. Not a good week for Rand with the American Mariner and Burns Harbor grounding. Superior, WI - March 30, 2024 Conner Blaukat: Is the White going to reload the burns harbor when it gets off the bottom? Or will it just continue with the taconite it picked up. David Schauer: Conner Blaukat Original plan was to continue to Silver Bay and finish loading there, but those plans might have changed. Conner Blaukat: David Schauer Thanks. Is all of the taconite similar enough at the different docks that it doesn’t matter if they mix two kinds together? David Schauer: Conner Blaukat Usually they don't mix, different pellets in separate holds. George Woodhull: Conner Blaukat they do not like to mix different types of ore together. Arlyn Aronson: Was the Lake lower than expected? David Schauer: Arlyn Aronson There was a strong WNW wind when it was loading that might have lowered the harbor levels a bit. The lake itself it also lower (no snow this year and no ice cover to curb evaporation). Eric Holst: Arlyn Aronson It may have been less that the lake was lower than expected, and more that they happened to load the Burns Harbor during a 24-hour period where the water level at Duluth-Superior harbor was much higher than it had been in recent weeks (because of the strong, sustained easterly winds during the snowstorm). One can view the Duluth harbor water level gauge and change the date range on the interface to display a plot of water levels up to 30 days long, the webpage for that water level gauge is here: https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/waterlevels.html... David Schauer: Eric Holst I'm assuming she started loading shortly after 0400 on the 24th when the levels were lower, but if there was a dock delay you can see the levels rise later that day into the 25th when they might have been finishing. The peak early on the 26th should have helped them, but apparently not enough. Roger LeLieve shared Very unusual move. Phil Trinter: Good source said besides the Mariner, two other boats scraped the bottom in the st Mary’s River up bound empty…. [If they are scraping empty, then what are they going to do with a load?] |
 |
| Accessed Mar 31, 2024 |
 |
| Blake Twyford commented on David's post, cropped |
 |
| David Schauer posted H. Lee White slowly approaching the grounded Burns Harbor at BNSF Dock 5. The White would take ore off the Burns Harbor, which is now downbound, while the White is finishing loading at Silver Bay. Superior, WI - March 30, 2024 Tim Miller: Burns Harbor had a noticeable list. |
 |
| David Schauer posted Transfer of ore from Burns Harbor to H. Lee White at the BNSF dock. Superior, WI - March 30, 2024 Brian Beckman: That's a pretty decent arc of taconite. How do they know where to position to transfer? [That was my reaction as well.] David Schauer: Brian Beckman It was interesting to watch. They positioned the boom over the hatch and then dribbled some pellets out to see where the conveyor would deposit them. After a few minor adjustments they had it lined up. |
 |
| Brandon Moonen posted Dave or Paul Scinocca, any idea what's happening over at BNSF? If you're free, that'd be an awesome picture!!!! |
BNSF now has a taconite loading dock on the pier that GN used to load coal. It looks more like a grain elevator with its concrete silos because it was built from scratch in 1977 to handle taconite pellets and thousand-footers.
 |
| DuluthPort Dock Length: 1,470 ft. Depth: 27 ft. Capacity: 73,156 ton Dock/5.2 million ton Storage Yard Employees: 75 |
In this 1954 topo we can see the tracks went up trestles to the top of the docks to dump the iron ore directly into the pockets of the dock. Several of the docks were 80' high.
The railroads had large yards to support their ore docks. They would store cuts of iron ore cars from various mines so that they could load a boat with a mix of ores requested by a steel mill.
If you look at a contemporary satellite image, you will see that the tracks between the yards and the docks has been replaced with a conveyor belt.
And most of the tracks in the yards have been removed to create room for ground storage piles.
This conversion from direct dump to conveyor belts was because the steel industry switched from the Bessemer&Kelly process to the basic oxygen furnace (BOF). The BOF prefers the chemical composition of taconite pellets. Unlike raw iron ore, the pellets could be handled with conveyor belts. Dock #1 was converted to taconite loading in 1967. [Substreet-history]
Historic Aerials has 1952 and 1981 views. By 1981, the conveyor to Dock #5 had been installed and the tracks to that dock were removed. But the tracks to Docks #1, #2, and #4 still existed. The yards had been converted to ground pile storage and they were full. A 1983 topo map had not caught up with these changes because it still shows all of the tracks in the yards and to the docks. But a 1993 topo does show the changes.
Please click this Flickr link for an aerial photo that still has all four docks in use with five ships being loaded. The commentary provides some additional history of these docks. BNSF abandoned the old docks and converted its coal dock to an ore dock because the old docks were too close together to handle the modern thousand-footers. That page also provides a link to an album of 42 photos of this dock complex. Here is a 1940 aerial photo of all four docks with five ships being loaded.
 |
| USGS 1954 Superior Qudanrangle @ 1:24,000 |
 |
| 1954 Superior Qudanrangle @ 1:24,000 |
 |
| Satellite |
 |
| Satellite |
Historic Aerials has 1952 and 1981 views. By 1981, the conveyor to Dock #5 had been installed and the tracks to that dock were removed. But the tracks to Docks #1, #2, and #4 still existed. The yards had been converted to ground pile storage and they were full. A 1983 topo map had not caught up with these changes because it still shows all of the tracks in the yards and to the docks. But a 1993 topo does show the changes.
 |
| USGS 1993 Superior Quadrangle @ 1:24,000 |
 |
| David Schauer posted Stewart J. Cort making its first appearance in the Twin Ports for the season as it loads ore at BNSF in Superior. American Spirit and Spruceglen at anchor in the lake. Snow melt and recent rain has the harbor water muddy, mostly from the Nemadji River. March 26, 2021 Rick Schroeder: Nice late pancake ice! Thomas J. Guffey: Nice photo David, glad to see her working again. Rick Schroeder: For the longest time I thought the Cort was incapable of self-unloading. Right up until I saw how tiny her hatches were. I had to Google her and discover her conveyor belt gantry is retracted, hidden at the stern, until needed. A pretty cool machine, and apparently the last "modern" thousand-footer built with the pilot house at the bow instead of at the stern. James Torgeson shared The former flagship of the Bethlehem Steel fleet, the 1000’ Stewart J. Cort, loads ore pellets for Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor at BNSF Ore Dock #5. [The comments indicate that this was the ship that Litton built the bow and stern in Mississippi and then cut it apart and added the middle section in Eire, PA.] Scott Cuma: Would take them 13/14 hours to unload the ore pellets at Burns Harbor. Michael Thurber: Scott Cuma the BH Material Handling system couldn't handle the Cort's full speed unloading. |
I don't normally see photos of the other side of #5.
 |
| Larry Mishkar posted, cropped BNSF conveyors are moving pellets today at the Allouez Taconite Facility. There wasn't a boat loading but the lighting and clouds were crazy perfect! The cloud line is above me, softening the sun onto the backside of the Dock #5. 4/3/2022. |
 |
| David Schauer posted, Photo is Jan 13, 2022 ASC's Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departing BNSF in Superior for Gary with the last ore cargo of the season. Assisting was Heritage Marine tug Edward H. 1/13/2022 Kimberly McLean: I just heard that a crewman was killed in an accident on the McCarthy. I don’t know the details. How sad. Michael Wineland: Chunk of ice fell and struck the man in the head. [I note the date of the thirteenth because the Soo Locks are scheduled to close at 11:59 on the fifteenth.] |
I've been skipping photos of freighters at this dock but this articulated tug/barge is worth noting.
David Schauer posted three photos with the comment: "Joyce L. VanEnkevort left the Great Lakes Trader at BNSF Dock 5 in Superior while the tug went to fuel in Duluth, making for a few interesting photos. 5/5/2022"
David Schauer posted three photos with the comment: "Joyce L. VanEnkevort left the Great Lakes Trader at BNSF Dock 5 in Superior while the tug went to fuel in Duluth, making for a few interesting photos. 5/5/2022"
Mary Anderson: Cool beans! Thank you for sharing. 😃 I have enjoyed watching Joyce break ice in the Duluth Harbor in the past.
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
A separated articulated tug brings out the ship fans.
 |
Shirley Reierson: I wondered what this strange little boat was! It passed by my house last week—it looked like a lighthouse on a boat!Scott's Canal Captures posted Joyce without her barge! You rarely see articulated tugs without the barges they're paired with on the lakes, but it happens from time to time. By pure luck, I caught the tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort (1998) returning to her barge, Great Lakes Trader (2000), in Superior last week after fueling at Husky on the Duluth side. The pair were destined for Toledo with iron ore (May 5th, 2022). Jane Herrick: I’ve only seen it in the winter when the tug was breaking ice . Scott Bjoeklund shared Shirley Reierson: I wondered what this strange little boat was! It passed by my house last week—it looked like a lighthouse on a boat! Mak Jon: Why is this a thing? (Tug/Barge) Does all the crew live on the Tug? Looks like small spaces compared to the footers and even 600-700' boats. Scott Bjorklund: Mak Jon yup, the crew lives on the tug. It's way bigger in there then you think. With a tug, there are less crew required so there's money saved there. Tugs can also have some advantages when it comes to icebreaking and maneuverability in small ports or windy rivers. |
Here is what a sister articulated tug/barge looks like when they are mated.
 |
| Paul Scinocca posted Lunch is Served, courtesy of the Dirk S VanEnkevort / Michigan Trader. After spending 38.7 hours on Port, the Dirk S VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader departs BN-5 Superior with a cargo of Iron Ore. If you look at the AIS information on their destination they are celebrating the US overtime win to beat Canada 3-2 in Hockey. They came into Duluth May 5th at 8:30 p.m. with a cargo of limestone for the C. Reiss dock, after discharging they sail down the channel over to the b. N. -5 doc to load iron ore. |
Ted Gregory posted six photos with the comment: "NP and GN Allouez ore docks.
Mere shells of their former grandeur. Superior, WI."
James Torgeson shared David Schauer's post of three photos.
 |
| 1 James Torgeson  Notice the two different construction methods used for the different build eras! |
 |
| 2 James Torgeson L-R: GN 4, 2, 1 and the NP. Ted Gregory James thanks for the info. What happened to 3? James Torgeson It was removed, but I forget when. As I recall, it was an all timber dock. Dennis DeBruler "Dock 3, the all-timber, was phased out of service in 1958 and dismantled in 1965." https://substreet.org/allouez/4/ |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| 4 |
 |
| 5 |
 |
| 6 |
James Torgeson shared David Schauer's post of three photos.
David's comment: "M/V Joseph L. Block departs BNSF in Superior with 33,000 tons of pellets from Hibbing Taconite to Burns Harbor. The Block isn't a frequent caller at Superior (2 times in 2020 and this is its second visit of 2021). August 12, 2021"
James' comment: "It's almost 'all in the family' as Cliffs' M/V Joseph L. Block (728', built in 1976 for Inland Steel) departs BNSF Railway Ore Dock #5 with 33,000 tons of iron ore pellets from Hibbing Taconite (Cliffs is the majority owner and manager) for Cliffs Burns Harbor."
[It is 78' wide, which is the maximum seaway width.]
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| David Schauer posted The Joseph L. Block preparing to depart the BNSF ore dock in Superior under a fine sunrise this past Friday, January 6, 2023. The Block loaded for Toledo (an uncommon destination during her career but Cliffs has changed the playing field [because it built an HBI plant there]). |
A new view of BNSF Dock #5:
 |
| David Schauer posted Algoma Discovery has just finished loading for Hamilton, Ontario, and is about to depart BNSF Dock 5 with some impressive clouds in the distance. Tug Missouri would assist. Superior, WI - June 29, 2024 |
 |
| David commented on his post Algoma Discovery loading at BNSF - Superior, WI - June 29, 2024 |
Unspecified or an Overview
 |
| Francis Otterbein posted August 1941. "Iron ore docks at Allouez, Wisconsin." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. |
 |
| David Schauer posted A nice 1953 aerial image of Superior's Allouez and Old Town neighborhoods showing the coal dock where BNSF Dock 5 is today plus the Great Northern and Northern Pacific ore docks. In the distance a tanker is at the Lakehead Pipeline dock. Lots to see in this view. Basgen Photography Al Miller: The lighthouse depot on Minnesota Point appears to be in fine shape and you can see the old entry tower. Sandy Laubach: Is that where the Nemadji River flows into the bay? David Schauer: Sandy Laubach Yes. James Torgeson shared |
 |
| David Schauer posted A view of Burlington Northern's ore dock complex in the Allouez neighborhood of Superior from June 1977. The primary focus of the images was to photograph the Mesabi Miner at Dock 5, the first 1000-footer to load there (June 14, 1977). The new Miner was still flying its pennant flags after being christened in Duluth prior to shifting to Dock 5. Loading at Dock 1 is the Edward L. Ryerson and what also appears to be the Leon Falk Jr. (edit: likely the Paul H Carnahan). Basgen Photography Teri Miller: Dock 1 is where the Edmund Fitzgerald loaded her final cargo two years previously. Justin Olsen: How long did the gravity dock remain in use after the new dock was built? David Schauer: Justin Olsen Mid-to-late 1980s. |
No comments:
Post a Comment