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Missabe T-Birds DVD
 5 of 5 (1)

Missabe T-Birds DVD Plets Express 104MTB 753182981048
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Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Crude Ore Trains from the Thunderbird Mines

See Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railroad action in scenic Northeastern Minnesota. This program features the DM&IR's crude ore trains that traveled from the Thunderbird open pit mines to the Fairlane Taconite Plant at Forbes. Known as T-Birds, these crude ore shuttles used classic DM&IR ore cars and usually operated two trains at a time. You'll see exciting runbys with vintage Missabe diesel power consisting of highhood SD9's, SD18's plus SDM's, SD38-2's and SD40-3's. Also climb on board DM&IR #185, 187 and the 302 for some great cab rides from the Keenan Yard to the Thunderbird South Mine near Eveleth where the crude ore was loaded then delivered to the Fairlane Taconite Plant for processing into pellets. This historic DM&IR program was shot mainly in the early 1990's from the cameras of Bradley A. Plets and Jerry Cvek and preserves a fascinating era on the Missabe Road.

Running Time: 102 Minutes
Beautiful Color with Live Audio "ยข Narration On/Off Options

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TVD Price:$ 26.95
List Price:$ 29.95
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DVD Item#:104MTB
Runtime:1 Hour, 42 Mins ($0.26/min)
Producer:Plets Express
Aspect Ratio:Full Screen
DVD UPC:753182981048
Shrink Wrapped?:NO!
Disc Type:DVD
Region Code:0 Worldwide NTSC

ITEM NOTES REGARDING THIS PRODUCER
  • This producer chooses not to shrinkwrap most of their products. All the products we sell are brand new direct from the producer. We never sell used or second-hand products.
Missabe T-Birds DVD
16-567D3 (Waterford, MI) on 2016-01-31 09:01:11.

People who found this review helpful: 2

  •  5 of 5


For me this DVD was completely refreshing and satisfied my appetite for a good railroad video. I've always been fascinated with the DM&IR since I became acquainted with it. This DVD gave me what I like in that it had the essentials of trains and railroad infrastructure in a remote setting but with an emphasis on the reason for the DM&IR's existence. No one has said it better in my opinion than the author of the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range chapter in the book "RAILROADS you can model" edited by Mike Schafer for Kalmbach Books, copyright 1976 wherein the author writes "'The Missabe Road' can be explained by the awe-inspiring appeal of a railroad that literally manufactures transportation -- by hauling its prime commodity, iron ore, with single-minded devotion and purpose." The author goes on to say that "there may be no more visually impressive operation in all of railroading than the delivery of ore to giant docks and the..." loading of that ore onto boats of gigantic proportions. This DVD did not cover the dock operations but it did give the viewer a peak into the processing of iron ore into taconite pellets. The T-Birds were dedicated trains from the Thunderbird mine to the Fairlane pellet plant. These operations were owned by Ford motor Company at the time (if I heard correctly) hence the name "T-Birds" for the trains. This focus on this small part of the DM&IR system made the DVD exceptional in my opinion. I highly recommend this DVD to ANYONE who loves trains and what they do!

Additional remarks by 16-567D3:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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