Today on 'weird choices by the power desk': putting three locomotives originally built for fast intermodal service on a coal drag. BNSF 8514 is one of 20 "SD70ACe-P4" testbeds built by E... (more)

BNSF 6433 pulls a loaded coal train up Mullan Pass west out of Helena.

BNSF 5354 pulls a loaded coal train over Skyline Bridge up the grade towards the Continental Divide.

Q ALTPTL6 31 Climbs The grade at Skyline crossing the bridge with a fuselage head out and an H2 C44-9W leading the way.

MRL 252, a set of helpers pushes a loaded coal train up the grade at Skyline. The loaded coal experienced an engine failure before the bridge causing them to stop, a rescue helper set came to help... (more)

A Laurel to Missoula freight train making its way up and out of Helena as they begin their ascent of Mullan Pass.

It’s a rainy day at Montana Rail Link’s Helena Roundhouse, as MRL Machinist Kevin Leonard takes a call as he reflects on what these new EMD locomotives will mean to his job after changing the ... (more)

Shortly after sunrise, BNSF C-SCRMRBC0-45F has mid-train helpers cut in and they have begun their climb out of Helena towards Mullan Pass. Notable buildings of the Helena skyline can be seen in th... (more)

MRL's 840 local's power heads to the house in Helena.

Rainy weather has moved east at the end of the day on October 8, 2005, and the sun makes a brief appearance before dropping behind the mountains west of Helena, Montana, while Montana Rail Link EM... (more)

The late afternoon sun makes a brief appearance on an otherwise rainy day at Helena, Montana, on October 8, 2005. Two Montana Rail Link machinists at the “roundhouse” talk briefly while mainta... (more)

A WB oil train begins its trip up Mullan Pass as it departs Helena with a Santa Fe warbonnet unit assisting second out.

With helpers up front, the "LM" arrives in Helena, where they will work the yard & head into Missoula.

Helpers on the head end will stay with the train into Missoula today.

A Montana Rail Link helper set arrives at Helena Yard on July 1, 2020. Quite a few blue MRL locomotives are present—three helper sets, the Helena local power and MRL’s Laurel to Missoula freig... (more)