While the "Black Fog of Blossburg" isn't as impressive as it once was, the sight of blue SD40s leading anything over the Continental Divide west of Helena makes for an awe inspiring sigh... (more)

While the "Black Fog of Blossburg" isn't as impressive as it once was, the sight of blue SD40s leading anything over the Continental Divide west of Helena makes for an awe inspiring sigh... (more)

An old Northern Pacific trestle hides in the trees on Mullan Pass. This is some of NP's original crossing over the top of the pass prior to the opening of Mullan Tunnel.

MRL 264 is on duty at Blossburg, MT on top of Mullan Pass with a Jimbo work train. Today it will back the train and ballast hoppers down to Elliston, then continue west toward Missoula. MRL mainte... (more)

Northern Pacific's original mainline went up and over Mullan Pass to cross the Continental Divide. Evidence of the original line abounds with remnants of old trestles hiding in the trees. One can ... (more)

A westbound BNSF train traveling over the MRL exits Mullan Tunnel in a plume of smoke. The tunnel cuts under the Continental Divide at 5,548 feet above sea level and stretching 3,896 feet long. T... (more)

The annual 'Wintergreen Special' lays over on the wye at Blossburg, with some Erie Lackawanna heritage as the power for this years trip.

Smoke from fires in eastern Washington fill the skies above the west side of the Continental Divide as the ML, with a helper set up front, pulls up through Blossburg.

An early Summer Morning finds this eastbound BNSF manifest freight passing the 3rd most famous barn in Montana.

Hot on the tail of a loaded coal train, an empty coal hopper transfer drifts down the west side of Mullan Pass.

An empty grain shuttle heading back to Sterling, ND for another load departs the siding at Blossburg after meeting a loaded counterpart.

The light at the end of the tunnel might be a train! The 11MPH struggle is almost over for the BNSF 4652 and company, as with the assistance of a quartet of Montana Rail Link SD70ACe's, thi... (more)

An MRL mid-train all-EMD helper set grinds up the final quarter-mile of the 2.2% ascending grade of Mullan Pass, emerging from the recently-shortened Mullan Tunnel and bringing a choking cloud of ... (more)

A westbound BNSF manifest freight exits the west portal of Mullan Tunnel at Blossburg, Montana, on September 24, 2006. Since this time, the cut leading to this portal has been widened and lengthen... (more)

In the aftermath of a late summer snowfall atop Mullan Pass, westbound BNSF MLAUSPO smokes its way out of Mullan Tunnel at Blossburg, Montana, on September 16, 2006. A pair of SD45s (Rebuilt and l... (more)