A fortuitous break in thick clouds allows sun to illuminate the classic lines of this dome observation car on the rear of the American orient Express as it heads west off Marias Pass. The dome pic... (more)

Two helper sets and some snow fighting equipment sits in BNSF’s Essex yard on the night of December 27, 2007, poised to do battle with the grades of a snowy Marias Pass in Montana.

Christmas night at Essex
Two BNSF helper sets rest quietly at Essex, Montana, on December 25, 2007. No trains needing a push up Marias Pass this day means at least some railroaders are ... (more)

Christmas Eve
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy caboose (waycar in CB&Q parlance) No. 14602 glows in the gathering twilight of Christmas Eve 2007. The Izaak Walton Inn at Essex, Montana, ha... (more)

On Christmas Eve in 2007, an eastbound BNSF intermodal train passes the Izaak Walton Inn and BNSF facilities at Essex, Montana. Soon, the train will be digging into the grade of a snowy Marias Pas... (more)

Additional snow over the Christmas holiday has a BNSF crew cleaning out of the switches in the yard at Essex, Montana, on December 26, 2007.

While Amtrak makes it station stop at Essex, Montana, on a snowy December 26, 2007, a intermodal train is stopped on the adjoining main line, while a ballast regulator plows the yard lead as far a... (more)

A westbound Empire Builder heads down Marias Pass with 5 units ...

After picking up additional power, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe grain train departs Essex, Montana, as dusk settles in during a snow storm on March 2 1997.

Passing two resting helper sets in a snow-covered yard at Essex, Montana, is an eastbound grain train headed for a climb over Marias Pass on Christmas Eve, 2007.

After bending a switch, a member of the crew on a BNSF helper set climbs aboard EMD SD40-2 No. 8050 at Essex, Montana, on a snowy December 23, 2007.

Traffic at Essex
On the day after Christmas 2007, a traffic jam is occurring at Essex, Montana, while more light snow continues to fall. Amtrak No. 8 is in town making its Essex station... (more)

The Eastbound Empire Builder heads towards Marias Pass. This area is currently (August 2015) suffering from a forest fire and BNSF has positioned equipment to protect this bridge.

Burlington Northern snowplow No. 972506 sits in repose next to a BN MofW 40-foot boxcar in the BNSF’s snow-covered yard at Essex, Montana, on February 28, 1997. Essex definitely got a lot of sno... (more)

A BNSF spreader train arrives at the yard at Essex, Montana, on a snowy December 26, 2007.