The mighty Soo Locks, water way from Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes

The Poe lock stands ready for the largest freighters on the Great Lakes -- too big to fit through the Welland Canal and go to sea -- as The News tours the Soo Locks and gets some behind-the-scenes looks at equipment and tunnels beneath the facility.

A rare glimpse into the power plant at the Soo Locks shows spinning turbines that not only power the operations at the locks, but feed about 15 percent of the area's grid as well.

The tunnels below the Poe locks are a strange place and seem to go on-and-on forever.

Lockmaster Tom Soltar is in control of the operations of the locks from his perch high above the water.

Scooters used by workers at the locks motor across the closed gate of the MacArthur lock.

The Canadian cutter Samuel Risley ties up in the Poe Lock in Sault Ste. Marie in this Wednesday, March 21, 2018 photo.

A rare glimpse into the power plant at the Soo Locks shows spinning turbines that not only power the operations at the locks, but feed about 15 percent of the area's grid as well.

The tug Scott Purvis locks through the Macarthur lock on the way downstream.