BNSF Allouez Taconite Facillity ("Dock 5") (Superior, Wisconsin)

USA / Wisconsin / Superior / Superior, Wisconsin
The BNSF Allouez Taconite Facility, designated as BNSF Dock No. 5, is completely devoted to loading large bulk freighters with taconite pellets (a low-grade iron-bearing rock processed into higher-grade "marbles") from huge storage silos on the dock. Formerly owned by the Pittsburgh Coal Dock & Wharf Co., Dock No. 5 was a large bulk coal export and facility until its purchase by BNSF predecessor BN in the early 1970’s.

As BNSF was winding down operations at the neighboring quad-pier facility which was largely built at the turn of the century and last modernized in the 1920’s, the railroad quickly began construction of a large silo structure on the pier which was connected to the nearby BNSF railyard by a 3.5-mile conveyor system. Placed into operation in 1978, the silo-conveyor system has since become the main taconite loading facility for BNSF and is visited daily by the large lake freighters who shuttle the ore to various steel mills around the Great Lakes.

Here are a couple interesting pages on the origins of the modern Allouez Taconite Facility:
The first link is to a 1975 US Army Corps of Engineers summary of its assessment prior to the (a) construction of the silos on the dock, plus (b) the expansion and (c) updating of the yard and conveyor. (At that time, you might notice on the page, the railroad was known as the Burlington Northern, since it wouldn't be until 1995 that it merged with the Santa Fe.)
stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=h...

The second page is from Wilson & Company, Engineers & Architects, which was involved in this mid-'70s upgrade (and perhaps primarily responsible for the planning and design work). ADA120262
www.wilsonco.com/projects/allouez.asp
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   46°41'26"N   92°1'15"W

Comments

  • This dock and a yard are together called the BNSF Allouez Taconite Facility, though they're physically separated by the Superior neighborhood of Allouez. The dock is designated as BNSF Dock No. 5, and it is completely devoted to loading bulk freighters, some over 1,000 feet long, with taconite pellets (a low-grade iron-bearing rock processed into higher-grade "marbles") from huge storage silos on the dock. In a 1928 map, this spit of land sticking out into Allouez Bay was designated as the Pittsburgh Coal Dock & Wharf Co. Dock No. 5. Not sure when the railway acquired the property, but the silo structure wasn't built until 1977. Until then the railway and its two main predecessors in Superior, the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway, used the ore docks immediately to the west, on either side of the mouth of the Nemadji River. See comment pages to these nearby WikiMapia sites in this aerial shot; these comment pages mention BNSF Dock No. 5 and have links to great photos etc.: 1. BNSF Allouez Taconite Facility, as marked by the large rectangle to the SW. This is a yard for taconite pellet unloading (by turning railroad cars upside down), storage, and reclaiming (scooping pellets out of storage and sending on a large, powerful conveyor to the dock). This yard and the dock are in fact connected by the 3.5-mile conveyor, which is visible in the aerial shot, especially where thoroughly enclosed as it sails over Allouez. 2. Great Northern Ore Docks No. 1 through 4, immediately to the west of this BNSF Dock No. 5. These docks, owned by BNSF (one of whose predecessor companies was the Great Northern Railway), are no longer in use, since Dock No. 5 has huge capacity and is state of the art. Still, see the comments for the GN docks for history, pics, and so on. 3. Northern Pacific Ore Dock No. 1, just west across the mouth of the Nemadji River from the old GN docks. Also no longer in use. Bonus: Here are a couple interesting pages on the origins of the modern Allouez Taconite Facility. The first link is to a 1975 US Army Corps of Engineers summary of its assessment prior to the (a) construction of the silos on the dock, plus (b) the expansion and (c) updating of the yard and conveyor. (At that time, you might notice on the page, the railroad was known as the Burlington Northern, since it wouldn't be until 1995 that it merged with the Santa Fe.) The second page is from Wilson & Company, Engineers & Architects, which was involved in this mid-'70s upgrade (and perhaps primarily responsible for the planning and design work). http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA120262 http://www.wilsonco.com/projects/allouez.asp
  • Updated the article based on comments here.
  • My best friend and her husband just moved to this area. It looks gorgeous. I will have to read up on the origins of the Allouez Taconite Facility. I know nothing about the history of this town, so it will be fun to learn about it and visit them. www.androcharters.com.au
  • I'm proud to say my uncle Edison Burner was the Constuction Super for the conveyor job around 1970. AS kids we used to see the Edmund Fitz there, floating. At that time, the newer facility was not built and the old GN docks were being used.
This article was last modified 8 years ago