The gates to Harrison Montana Rail Link’s 9.5-mile branch to Harrison out of Sappington was a bit like stepping into a railroad time warp. Jointed rail winding through idyllic ranch country up a 2.2 percent grade made it photographic happiness. Most unusual were about a half dozen crossings of a fence line equipped with cattle gates that had to be manually opened and closed with each trains’ passing. Operating only once-a-week, I guess the branch didn’t qualify for more standard cattle guards.
On September 10, 2011, MRL GP35s bring covered hoppers loaded with grain from the lines only customer—Harrison Elevator Co.—noses up to a gate about 5.5 miles downgrade from Harrison, and today’s assistant engineer (on MRL train crews, both are qualified engineers) gets the duty to open and close the gates for the local.
