MRL327 descends Mullan Pass below Austin on an Early October morning. MRL 327 started life as an SP locomotive, so this mountain warrior is no stranger to steep mountain grades.

Encina Hill is a long twisting grade that lifts trains out of the Snake River Valley. The grade is a significant challenge for westbound tonnage with gradients reaching 2.2%.

BNSF 9376 SD70ACE and BNSF 6161 AC45 GEVO were both fairly new as they rounded the 10 degree curve over Austin Creek. The grade over the bridge is about 1.8%, this is equivalent 2.2% when compensa... (more)

UP5767 is almost to the summit of the Tehachapi as it blasts thru Cable....

BNSF 9792 in Grinstien Green powers thru the 10 degree curves and mountain grade at Skyline, MT. The original temporary Hi-Line grade to Tip-Top can be seen cutting across the middle of the Curve... (more)

Utah 5001 roars up the grade near Castle Gate. The area was the site of numerous mines over the years including the sealed Castle Gate Mine. This train loaded farther west in Carbon County and is ... (more)

BNSF 9835 leads a coal load up the the incline near Iron Ridge. According to the land owner I am standing near the pit of the Copper King Mine that produced about $20,000 in copper around 1910. Th... (more)

Export coal is running heavy over MRLs Mullan Pass. This train lead by an SD70ACE came into Helena powered up 3x1. The train added its manned swing Helper at Helena. The helper is visible at the ... (more)

BNSF9211 leads a coal load on the 2.2% grade at Iron Ridge, Montana. An absolutely incredible location to watch railroadings most modern technology tackle one of the toughest mountain railroads on... (more)

BNSF4627 leads a heavy westbound BNSF Manifest up the 2.4% incline in Price River Canyon. Heavy grade and curvature have this train dragged down to jogging speed as it battles gravity. The Rio Gr... (more)

The last couple minutes of light make an explosive scene as BNSF 5888 leads a export coal load over Austin Creek. This classic and easily accessed spot is still one of my favorites...

Standing guard over Helena are the Elk Mountains. These mountains made Helena one of the richest gold mining camps in the West during the last half of the 19th Century. No less magnificent, t... (more)

For over 100 years locomotives have Sand Blasted Winter Park Hill. Lifting Tonnage over the 2% grade combined with serpentine curvature brings machines to their knees, and often times their break... (more)

It is 6:50 AM and the sun has just broke over the ridge and lights up Austin, MT. The remnants of the previous nights thunderstorm can be seen dissipating in the new dry air-mass and blue sky. I ... (more)

The shadows were creeping in fast as light slips away in Price Canyon. Late day convection thunderstorms spit drops of rain in the distance as UP5874 pulls the last of the 2.4% on dry rail before ... (more)