The Prototype

Corporate History

Click on period of interest:

DULUTH & IRON RANGE (1881-1901)
DULUTH, MISSABE & NORTHERN (1891-1901)
PRE-MERGER (1901-38)
DULUTH, MISSABE & IRON RANGE (1938 to Present)

Logos

Click on the logo to see all the logos the Missabe and its predecessors have had.

Map of the Missabe Road

Click on system map to see a route map.

Equipment Roster

Click on subject of interest to get to the roster. The roster contains photos, but no attempt is being made to have a photo of every piece of equipment.

STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES
CABOOSES
ORE CARS
FREIGHT CARS
NON-REVENUE EQUIPMENT
HI-RAILS & TRACK SPEEDERS
PASSENGER

Preserved Missabe

PRESERVED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
EXISTING & PRESERVED STRUCTURES

Missabe Reference Books

Several books have been written with information on the Missabe, and on its related industries.

The Missabe Road, Frank King, Golden West Publishing, 1974 - Written by Frank King while an employee of the DM&IR, and at their direction, this book is the de facto standard of Missabe information. Being reprinted by University of Minnesota Press as a softcover book. Out-of-print copies are occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).

Locomotives of the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, Frank King, Pacific Fast Mail, 1985 - Also by Frank King, a treatise on Missabe motive power from inception through the beginning of the 300-series rebuild program. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).

Lake Superior Iron Ore Railroads, Patrick Dorin, ???, 1969 - This book covers all of the mining railroads serving the iron deposits surrounding Lake Superior in the late 1960's, including photos of mining operations. Photos are of nominal quality. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).

Minnesota - Ontario Iron Ore Railroads, Patrick Dorin, 2002 - The softcover book has 104 pages with black & white photos. Covers Minnesota and Ontario ore operations, including DM&IR. Publisher is TLC.

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway in Color, David Schauer, 2002 - The book is 128 pages, all-color on the Missabe from the 1950s through the present. Publisher is Morning Sun Books.

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway, John Leopard, 2005 - The book is 160 pages, nearly all-color and published by Motorbooks International. The author builds on Frank King's "Missabe Road" book and takes the tale up to the takeover by CN. Features many color photos by Robert C. Anderson.

Tin Stackers: History of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, Al Miller, Wayne State University, 1999 - Covers the history the Missabe's sister corporation that ran the Lakers moving ore from the docks to the steel centers. Mostly text, with some pictures, and includes a roster of all the boats that were in the fleet. In print now - $33.96 at Amazon.com.

Morgan Park: Duluth, U.S. Steel and the Forging of a Company Town, Arnold R. Alanen, University of Minnesota Press, 2007 - While the author's main interest is in company towns, the book has a good history and a number of photos of the U.S. Steel Duluth Works which is about half the book. Of interest to the Missabe fan because the plant was one of the railroad's largest non-mining customers. In print now - $44.00 at Amazon.com.

Railroads You Can Model, Kalmbach Publishing, 1978 - Excerpts from Model Railroader's ongoing series, this book contains a piece on modeling the Missabe not previously published in MR. Includes background, history, photos and a model layout plan. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay.

	The Missabe Road, Frank King, Golden West Publishing, 1974 - Written by Frank King while an employee of the DM&IR, and at their direction, this book is the de facto standard of Missabe information. Being reprinted by University of Minnesota Press as a softcover book. Out-of-print copies are occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).
	Locomotives of the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, Frank King, Pacific Fast Mail, 1985 - Also by Frank King, a treatise on Missabe motive power from inception through the beginning of the 300-series rebuild program. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).
	Lake Superior Iron Ore Railroads, Patrick Dorin, ???, 1969 - This book covers all of the mining railroads serving the iron deposits surrounding Lake Superior in the late 1960's, including photos of mining operations. Photos are of nominal quality. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay. Can be borrowed by an Inter-Library Loan (ILL).
	Minnesota - Ontario Iron Ore Railroads, Patrick Dorin, 2002 - The softcover book has 104 pages with black & white photos. Covers Minnesota and Ontario ore operations, including DM&IR. Publisher is TLC.
	Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway in Color, David Schauer, 2002 - The book is 128 pages, all-color on the Missabe from the 1950s through the present. Publisher is Morning Sun Books.
	Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway, John Leopard, 2005 - The book is 160 pages, nearly all-color and published by Motorbooks International. The author builds on Frank King's "Missabe Road" book and takes the tale up to the takeover by CN. Features many color photos by Robert C. Anderson.
	Tin Stackers: History of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, Al Miller, Wayne State University, 1999 - Covers the history the Missabe's sister corporation that ran the Lakers moving ore from the docks to the steel centers. Mostly text, with some pictures, and includes a roster of all the boats that were in the fleet. In print now - $33.96 at Amazon.com.
	Morgan Park: Duluth, U.S. Steel and the Forging of a Company Town, Arnold R. Alanen, University of Minnesota Press, 2007 - While the author's main interest is in company towns, the book has a good history and a number of photos of the U.S. Steel Duluth Works which is about half the book. Of interest to the Missabe fan because the plant was one of the railroad's largest non-mining customers. In print now - $44.00 at Amazon.com.
	Railroads You Can Model, Kalmbach Publishing, 1978 - Excerpts from Model Railroader's ongoing series, this book contains a piece on modeling the Missabe not previously published in MR. Includes background, history, photos and a model layout plan. Presently out of print, it is occasionally available at flea markets or on eBay.