A helper set ran to Logan with a westbound train in order to drop off a motor swap with the local crew then assist a heavy eastbound back, taking with it the ailing motor from Logan. This is one ... (more)

Helpers are about to the top of their run up the mountain grade assisting coal loads west.

The LM is accelerating out of Logan and will wind its way out towards Helena thru Lombard Canyon. The weather was significantly different from this spot west, coming out of overcast, snowy condit... (more)

A very short LAUBOZ aka "LB" is speeding into Livingston and will take a yard route to get around two trains on the main and zip across to Bozeman. This is a revised way of running loca... (more)

Montana Rail Link's Day Gas local heads east towards Missoula, snaking along the banks of the Clark Fork River behind a pair of SD70ACe's outside Eddy, Montana.

Under a plethora of stars on a clear Montana night, the Northern Pacific-era cantilevered signal announces the dispatcher’s decision to route a BNSF train west on Montana Rail Link’s main line... (more)

On a pretty July 5, 2018, morning, Montana Rail Link’s MLAUMIS manifest freight climbs the last bit of grade on Winston Hill approaching Winston, Montana.

Coal loads work their way up to Muir.

A well-powered "LM" is sinking its teeth into the grade heading up to Mullan Pass. While there were initially only two Aces on the train, a helper set was added not only to assist in dr... (more)

Well now. So, here, a helper set is actually headed east on the rear of the SPOLAU from Logan back to Livingston with, of all things, a GP9 added. It evidently died on the 844 local and was repl... (more)

It's about 20 degrees below zero as the sun rises over the mountains and the first rays of light cast a warm glow on the outskirts of Whitehall, Montana. The engineer of the MRL's Whitehall Extra ... (more)

Blue thunder
One of the visceral treats of Montana Rail Link’s route over Mullan Pass is listening to a heavy unit grain or coal train assault the hill from a location near the top of... (more)

The Bozeman Local is making a run east today into Livingston with 30 cars. They alternate directions and duties out of Bozeman during the week and I am told they only venture into Livingston once... (more)

April 1 was no joke. With the 4404 bouncing back & forth on the "LM/ML", it would take a great deal of luck to find them...or so I thought. The previous day, the ML got to Laurel at sunr... (more)

A whopping total of ten MRL Aces are represented here....six up front, four on the rear. Two unexpected events brought this together. The LM lost their lead motor after leaving Livingston and clim... (more)