One of my favorite vantage points on Mullan Pass is the Upper Horseshoe of the Austin Loops. Screaming upgrade past the Copper King mine BNSF 6329 leads its train of export black diamonds towards... (more)

BNSF 6299 is the last unit of a DPU consist shoving hard on the rear of an export coal train climbing Mullan Pass. The manned swing helper can be seen passing between the new and old Homestead as ... (more)

MRL 4310 shoves against a westbound intermodal train with a threatening western sky...

MRL 282 leads a light helper set downgrade towards Austin. Note the huge cut that bypasses the now abandoned Iron Ridge Tunnel.

BNSF 9835 thunders around the upper loop on the climb out of Austin. I am standing on the tailings of the Copper King Mine...on a spectacular late June morning!

BNSF 1003 leads a westbound grain train up the 2.2% at Skyline, MT. The GN inspired paint scheme looks good amongst the pines.

An eastbound BNSF baretable train rolls across Greenhorn Creek Trestle on Montana Rail Link's 3rd Subdivision over Mullan Pass. The consist includes 5 BN SD40-2s, a BN GP50, a BN B30-7AB, a Soo Li... (more)

It’s dawn on September 17, 2012, and the sun is barely penetrating the wildfire smoke-filled air at Lombard, Montana. Amid the ethereal light, swirling fog still rises from the placid surface of t... (more)

On a windy and snowy March 3, 1989, Burlington Northern train No. 1 works west through Bison, Montana, on scenic Marias Pass. On the point is BN GP39-2 No. 2709, one of 40 built by Electro-Motive ... (more)

One of the first trains to load at a new ballast quarry on the east slope of NP's Homstake Pass route is seen on a blustry spring day behind a rebuilt SD9 and a geep. Regular service on this line ... (more)

On August 9, 1996, Montana Rail Link’s ML (Missoula to Laurel manifest freight) train curves into Austin, Montana. Leading the train is one of MRL’s EMD cowl F45s, No. 391.

A pair of rare visitors to MRL's facility at Laurel in 1992 were Santa Fe 5266 (well before the BNSF merger) and a fresh BN LNG SD40-2 and its tender. I believe the 5266 (ex-Amtrak) has been saved... (more)

A Montana Rail Link work extra snakes westbound along the Flathead River on MRL’s 10th Subdivision on September 21, 2012. Behind SD45 No. 328 is two MofW 40-foot boxcars and a string of flats load... (more)

About those scratches on my new F-150....sideswipe damage at Laural that also involved MRL SW1200 15. See photo 417389.

Beauty and the beast. The beautiful snow dusted mountain peaks contrast sharply to this once proud Milwaukee Road passenger engine. Not sure what became of it.