A heavy manifest screams up the 2.2% grade approaching Iron Ridge. The heavy manifest has a cut-in set of MRL manned helpers that can be seen smoking it up on the right side of the photo.

The sanders are wide open as the head-end of this grain train digs into the 10 degree curve of the upper horseshoe curve that rounds Iron Ridge.... The ancient cabins in the background are part of... (more)

A grain train struggles thru Austin on its climb up the 2.2% grade. The 4 blue MRLSD70ACE helpers can be shouldering into the heavy grain train. The curves, combined withe 2.2% grade make the clim... (more)

A grain train curves thru Austin, Montana on its climb up the 2.2% grade. Two venerable -9s lead the heavy grain load, mid-train 4 MRL ACEs can be seen near the curve on the right of the photo, an... (more)

A pair of Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe in a pusher set shoves hard on a westbound BNSF grain train on the twisting grade out of Austin, Montana, climbing a 2.2% grade up Mullan Pass on the aftern... (more)

BNSF 6360 leads an eastbound empty coal train along Austin Road east of Austin siding as it descends toward Helena, MT.

BNSF 6325 brings up the rear of an eastbound oil train on Montana Rail Link as the train passes the signals at the east end of Austin siding. The train has just descended Mullan Pass and will arri... (more)

A quartet of MRL SD70ACE pushers shoulder into BNSF9242 West at Austin. No Mullan Pass experience is truly fulfilled until you witness a westbound "Heavy" assault the mountain. The steep... (more)

A clean consist of BNSF power lifts a morning coal load up Mullan Pass. The steep compensated grade here is 2.2% and requires 8 big AC locomotives to get this heavily laden unit train up the Conti... (more)

SD70ACes BNSF 9206 and 9062 make a nice pair on the back of a westbound coal train crawling through Austin, MT and starting the final assault on Mullan Pass on Montana Rail Link.

A westbound coal load thunders around Iron Ridge on its climb for Mullan Pass. Mid-train are 4 MRL heavy SD70ACE swing helpers.... Mullan Pass is one of the best places to witness modern mountain... (more)

With Austin siding now extended to Weed, train meets here are very frequent. A westbound manifest is about to meet a eastbound grain train on this new short section of "Double Track" o... (more)

Three of MRLs fine second generation EMDs (along with a BNSF SD70MAC) struggle up the 2.2% grade on the east side of Mullan Pass.

Three MRL SD40-2XRs lead the BNSF's LAUPAS as the train fights the east side of Mullan Pass just east of Austin. Word has spread that this may be the last trip on this specific freight for the 40s... (more)

BNSF 7684 bends around a curve and through a couple cuts and is about to cross Skyline trestle before finishing its climb to Mullan Pass tunnel.