Thunder at Iron Ridge
A westbound BNSF coal train thunders through Iron Ridge cut between Austin and Weed, Montana, climbing Mullan Pass on the afternoon of July 6, 2022. The train is n... (more)

BUTTE MT Sept 26 1978 — Burlington Northern GP9 1737 is idled by a nationwide railroad strike. EMD built the unit in February 1957 as Northern Pacific 299. It was retired in May 1986My photo.

On the afternoon of July 7, 2023, Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe Nos. 4318 and 4404 pull a Helena to Bozeman turn westbound past the old Milwaukee Road bridge spanning the Missouri River at Lombard... (more)

Butte MT Sept 26 1978 — Burlington Northern GP9 1739 is idled by a nationwide railroad strike. EMD built the unit as Northern Pacific 301 in February 1957. It was retired in December 1990. My ph... (more)

Two SD60Ms and a couple SD40-2s are on the point of a westbound coal train coming over the summit of Bozeman Pass at West End, MT. Five MRL SD40 and 45s were shoving.

Back when the 11th Sub was more than just a storage line.

Montana Rail Link’s 844 local crosses a trestle on the steep 2.2% mountain grade on the Harrison branch just beyond milepost 6 after departing Harrison, Montana, on June 27, 2023. The local, pow... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena local works upgrade at milepost 214 between Townsend and Winston, Montana, on the afternoon of June 27, 2023.

Willow Creek This manifest has been dropping down the the east slope of the Continental Divide since it crossed the Summit at Marias Pass. The train is passing the Lewis and Clark monum... (more)

Red Bluff & Pony This branch line constructed by the Butte Short Line, was built to haul precious metals out of mines near Pony and Red Bluff. Like many western railroad/mining ventures th... (more)

Snowing at Bridge 57
BNSF GE ET44C4 No. 3943 leads an eastbound unit oil train across the Clark Fork on Bridge 57 west of Trout Creek in a Montana snowstorm on February 6, 2021. Interes... (more)

An eastbound BNSF grain train sails across Bridge 62 spanning the inlet of Swamp Creek into the Clark Fork at Tuscor, Montana, on the crisp morning of October 5, 2020.

It’s almost 6 p.m. on a cool Montana winter eve at Trout Creek on February 5, 2023. A trackside fire helps warm us up a bit as the “blue hour” descends upon the Clark Fork River Valley. The ... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s 844 local drops down a 2.2 percent grade leaving Harrison, Montana, on June 27, 2023. This local generally serves the grain elevator at Harrison once a week on Tuesdays.

Just after sunset on July 5, 2023, Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe Nos. 4302 and 4301 power a Helena to Bozeman turn dropping downgrade past milepost 214 east of Winston, Montana.

With th... (more)