MRL701 heads a work train at Logan, MT. Built in 1965 for the Norfolk and Western Railway The old SD35 has never been a stranger to mountain grades. Originally used by the N&W and MRL in helper... (more)

Running up the Tenth Subdivision, Montana Rail Link’s night gas local is westbound out of Arlee, Montana, on June 26, 2020.

MRL4400 leads a long heavy Laurel-Missoula manifest into the large cut at Iron Ridge. The heavy westbound manifest has a manned 4 unit set of MRL SD70ACEs shoving mid train to move the tonnage up... (more)

Montana rail Link, SD70ACe No. 4408 leads the morning eastbound Gas Local through Perma Montana.

At its peak, the MRL once owned 71 SD45's. Much like the WC, they became well known for their 20 cylinder motors. Over time the roster has been reduced to four, two in service and two in storage/s... (more)

A Montana Rail Link helper set coasts downgrade back to Livingston, Montana, after pushing a westbound BNSF train over Bozeman Pass. The westbound ruling grade from Livingston to West End is 1.8 p... (more)

MRL SD45 346 heads down grade with 44 cars and 3,850 tons of freshly loaded ballast from the loader at Pipestone. The ballast loader at Pipestorne is the now terminus of the famous former Northern... (more)

A Montana Rail Link ballast train heads west through Jefferson River Canyon west of Sappington, Montana, on the afternoon of June 26, 2016.

The entire active SD45 fleet with a former UP SD40 up front pound up Bozeman Hill. Even with 56 cylinders they still put on a show lugging 37 side dumps to Whitehall. Standard cabs and side dumps,... (more)

The rear portion of a westbound BNSF unit oil train climbs the 2.2 percent grade of Mullan Pass out of Austin, Montana, on July 1, 2020. A manned helper set of a quartet of Montana Rail Link EMD S... (more)

On a beautiful summer afternoon west of the rugged Mission Range, Montana Rail Link’s night gas local rolls westbound along the Flathead River near Dixon at McDonald, Montana, on June 26, 2020.

The Laurel-Missoula manifest climbs Mullan Pass behind a shiny pair of SD70ACes. The train moves mostly regional traffic between the two yards and the various locals that work the mainline and br... (more)

A fifteen-car Montana Rail Link Helena local descends Winston Hill approaching milepost 215 east of Winston, Montana, on June 30, 2020. Powering the train is EMD SD40-2XR No. 263 and GP9 No. 109.

In a rare move, a ballast train heads through the Canyon towards Logan at first light. Seeing an EB through here in the morning is pretty rare, as most trains depart Whitehall in the evening after... (more)

On the afternoon of June 25, 2020, a BNSF grain train climbs Mullan Pass leaving Austin, Montana. A Montana Rail Link manned helper set is cut into the middle of the train, consisting of a quartet... (more)