The post below caught my eye because a freighter doing another load of iron ore surprised me given that the Soo Locks close at 11:59 Jan 15, 2022. But when I saw the news about the fire, I decided this post was worth noting. These warehouses are on the south side of the huge CHS grain elevator facility.
The 1890 building was officially vacant. If there were homeless people staying in the warehouses, they got out safely. No injuries were reported.
David Schauer posted three photos with the comment: "Laura L. Van EnKevort and barge Joseph H. Thompson making a fairly rare visit to CN Duluth for a late season ore load. As Gary pointed out, the warehouses by CHS burned this morning. 1/6/2022"
Dave Wagner: It might be a rare visit now but she’s been here many times before , in a better looking form. Still love her profile she just looks like she wants to go fast.
David Campbell: Dave Wagner the Rangers at the Lake Superior Maritime Museum say this is the first visit for the Laura VanEnkevort. The barge has been here but apparently a first for the tug
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| KBJR photo via KARE11 The big bridge in two of David's photos is the Blatnik Bridge, and it was closed about 6:45-8:00 because of visibility issues caused by the smoke. "Superior Mayor Jim Paine says the fire started in one structure of the historic complex, known as the Fish warehouse, and then jumped to a second known as the Bayside warehouse. Both buildings were destroyed....The 48,000-square-foot warehouse was built in 1890" [This web page has a video of a snorkel fighting the fire. I wonder if that was the only snorkel.] BringMeTheNews credits this same photo to Blake Melin "One Facebook user commented on Superior PD's announcement, saying she couldn't see while driving over the bridge: 'It was scary... I drove on the bridge coming from Superior around 5:30ish and for a second [you] could not see nothing pitch black.'" |
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| Credit Barry Sinnex via BringMeTheNews |
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| Digitally Zoomed [I've seen smoke plumes before, but that is more like a flame plume. At least the wind is calm so wind chill would not have been an issue for the firefighters.] |
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| David commented on his post The two warehouse buildings that burned this morning. John-Erich Mantius: David Schauer Such a shame. Built in the 1890s, I believe. Another historic legacy gone. Saw the fire on the Duluth Harbor Cams. |
Here is a view from the Joseph barge.
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| One of several photos and videos posted by David Connel from a barge arriving to load iron ore Kent Rengo shared [One of the videos shows a Coast Guard tugboat breaking ice.] Bill Buss: Is that smoke from the big warehouse fire in superior yesterday? Kent Rengo: Bill Buss Correct. [A comment indicated that this was the first trip for Laura to the twin cities.] |
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| David Schauer posted After photographing the Thompson from Rices Point I went up to Skyline to get a view with the smoke from the Superior warehouse fire in the shot. Notice the interesting inversion effect with the smoke. No injuries. 1/6/2022 |
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| David commented on his post This is what it looked like late afternoon. We talk about forest fire smoke making the sunsets and sunrises colorful, here is an example of shooting through smoke and the sky color difference. Gus image from van. 1/6/2022 Daniel Nied The building that was on the waterfront was for sale. Here is the listing, lots of pictures if you ever wondered what it looked like inside. My guess is the price dropped some today. https://gregfollmer.com/.../brick-timber-four-story.../ |
I don't know if it was because this loading was Laura's first visit or if this loading might be the last one for the shipping season, but several fans got photos of it loading at the CN dock.
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| David Schauer posted A nice catch as a triple tunnel motor set worked Dock 6 in Duluth just before sunset. Loading at the dock is the barge Joseph H. Thompson and tug Laura L. VanEnkevort, fairly rare visitors to No. 6. 1/6/2022 Edward Duke: How deep of ice before they can't load there? I see lots of ice and water by it. That BLE unit is a great catch! David Schauer: I think they have a bubbler system at the shiploader to help keep ice at a minimal thickness, or at least they used to. Once you start getting over a couple feet thick things get interesting. Not sure there is a thickness level that would prohibit loading, just takes longer to break and flush out of the slip. David Hiett shared Rob Roche: The SP and Rio Grande were having problems with units overheating in long tunnels. so EMD moved the air intakes down low on the car body (black rectangular spot near the rear of the lead unit in the photo). This drew in cooler air and helped solve the problem. Somebody hung the "tunnel motor" nickname on them and it stuck. |
Chris Mazzella posted two photos with the comment: "Laura Vanenkevort on her first trip to the Twin Ports. She pushes the barge Joseph H Thompson."
Dick Knopik: Are the tug/barge units less expensive to make or operate vs the conventional boats?
Caleb L. Gordon: Dick Knopik Yes, in this case an old hull (Thompson) is mated to a newer tug making it much cheaper than a new traditional freighter. There is also a much smaller crew requirement for these units, saving on staffing costs.
Teri Miller: Caleb L. Gordon actually didn't the CG amend the crew requirements for ATBs and they now take the same amount of crew, taking away the staffing advantage? I've seen that stated around several times. Which would explain why more freighters aren't being cut down into barges anymore.
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David Schauer posted two photos with the comment: "A view of the Joseph H. Thompson loading at CN Dock 6 in West Duluth yesterday, January 6, 2022. Tug Laura L. VanEnkevort replaced the Thompson's original tug, Joseph H. Thompson Jr., a few years ago and I think this is Laura's first trip to Dock 6. The second shot shows Joe/Joe at the same dock in 2017."
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And a couple of videos: 3:38 and 4:25
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