Montana Rail Link’s gas local flies though the snow at Dixon, Montana, on a cold February 9, 2014. On the lead is MRL’s only EMD SDP40, No. 290.

The classic #290 leads the Jimbo train east.

The classic #290 leads the Jimbo train east after meeting a coal load at East Missoula.

The last of its breed, MRL #290 leads the Jimbo train west into Garrison.

The last of its breed, MRL #290 leads the Jimbo train west into Garrison.

More interested in the photographers, two horses ignore Montana Rail Link’s rare and only SDP40 (MRL labels it a SDP40-2XR) leading a work train at Clarkston, Montana, on September 14, 2010.

Great Northern’s 4-car Train No. 323 leaves CN and GN’s depot at Vancouver, B.C., headed for Seattle on April 10, 1969. Even though one of GN’s boiler-equipped SDP-40’s leads the train, apparentl... (more)

No HEP (head-end power 480-v.) here in GN’s Seattle coach yard where the cars are hooked to ground steam on rainy April 9, 1970 The Big Sky Blue didn’t last long as the merger creating Burlington... (more)

During Great Northern’s “Big Sky Blue" era, eastbound Train 28 Western Star makes its station stop at Whitefish, Montana on April 9, 1969. Boiler-equipped SDP-40 322 and its two F unit mates... (more)

A crew member is framed between the signals protecting the junction of MRL's 10th and 4th Subdivisions as he uncouples 290 from the Paradise Local's GP9s. The former GN SDP40 would be used on a wo... (more)

A former Great Northern SDP40 hustles a work train through nice fall colors en route to Missoula.

Montana Rail Link’s gas local blows snow onto a frozen Flathead River just east of Paradise, Montana, on February 9, 2014. Leading the train through the frigid landscape is MRL No. 290, former Gre... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Gas Local storms eastbound through Weeksville, Montana, on February 9, 2014, with three vintage EMDs powering the 30-car train. Lead locomotive is MRL 290, a former Great North... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Gas Local creates its own snowstorm as it thunders eastbound through Weeksville, Montana, on February 9, 2014. Heading up the 30-car local this cold day is venerable SDP40 (reb... (more)

One of the last passenger trains to pass Kelso was Amtrak's short-lived "Vegas Celebrity Train" which ran sporadically between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Behind an SDP40 and three F units, the tr... (more)