An early morning grain train greets sunrise as it begins its assault on Mullan Pass on the MRL.

BNSF GE C44-9W No. 5383 leads four Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACes as head end power for a heavy Herzog ballast train climbing Mullan Pass out of Austin, Montana, as seen from inside a deserted out... (more)

MRL's tribute to essential workers leads the LM across the Austin Creek trestle.

2 sets of helpers, a total of 8 units, pass an empty stack train as they drift downgrade on their way back to stage at Helena. There they will wait for the next westbound to provide a shove over M... (more)

At the end of a perfect day, a rainbow encircles a Montana Rail Link helper set trundling eastward at Austin, Montana, after helping a BNSF grain train over Mullan Pass on July 5, 2021.

An eastbound BNSF manifest freight train drops downgrade on Montana Rail Link’s crossing of Mullan Pass, passing a long abandoned homestead and ranch, as it approaches Austin, Montana, on July 4... (more)

BNSF GE ES44AC No. 5952, along with a pair of EMD SD70MACs in different flavors, pull a westbound BNSF freight toward Austin, Montana, while climbing Mullan Pass on October 7, 2020.

On the morning of June 30, 2021, a westbound BNSF freight climbs the 2.2 percent grade up toward Mullan Pass at Austin, Montana. The head end is one curve away from the big horseshoe curve through... (more)

Last Light on Austin With 15 minutes before the the scene descends into shadow a westbound export coal load charges the 2.2% at Austin, MT. Just above the first terrain cut above the Mull... (more)

Rainbow on Mullan A Westbound Intermodal curves around the upper horseshoe of the Austin Loops and under a bright rainbow from a exiting storm. The MRL has been moving a increasing numbe... (more)

Iron Ridge A Westbound Grain load threads the the big cut at Iron Ridge on Mullan Pass. The colorful rock in the cut is the mineralization that makes this valley rich in Gold, Copper and ... (more)

A westbound BNSF Q train works upgrade out of Austin as it climbs Montana Rail Link’s arduous Mullan Pass west of Helena, Montana, on June 26, 2020.

A quartet of Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe locomotives, being used in helper service on Mullan Pass west of Helena, are dropping downgrade light engine on the double track between Weed and Austin ... (more)

Four Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe locomotives, Nos. 4304, 4307, 4306 and 4314, are mid-train manned helpers on a westbound BNSF coal train climbing Mullan Pass’ 2.2 percent grade out of Austin,... (more)

An eastbound BNSF grain train drops down the 2.2% grade of Mullan Pass at Austin, Montana, late in the day of July 1, 2020. The head end of the train is passing through the former location of Aust... (more)