Montana Rail Link GP9 #109 & SD40-2XR #252 highball towards Helena with a short train in tow

Montana Rail Link GP9 #109 leads the Helena local west by the searchlights at Winston,MT.

Rain has moved off over Canyon Ferry Lake on the background as Montana Rail Link’s Helena local returns home climbing Winston Hill westbound east of Winston, Montana, on the afternoon of June 30, ... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s 840 local, the Helena local, has returned. The train operates out of Helena on weekdays and serves the cement plants at Montana City and Townsend. On June 25, 2020, MRL GP9 No.... (more)

Venerable Montana Rail Link EMD GP9 No. 109 smokes it up leading the Helena local up Winston Hill at milepost 215 east of Winston, Montana, on the afternoon of June 25, 2020. MRL 109 was built in ... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch arrives at Townsend, Montana, passing the searchlight signals at the west end of the siding there on July 5, 2018, Veteran GP9 No. 109 and SD40-2XR No. 262 lead a... (more)

MRL GP9 no. 109 mates up with SD45 346 on the local turn from Helena to Townsend and back. The train will run around their cars and head back north to Helena with the SD45 on the point.

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch descends Winston Hill just east of Winston, Montana, on July 1, 2019. Powering the local with cars for RY Timber and the cement plant in Townsend is MRL GP9 No. 1... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch dashes over Winston Hill just east of Winston into a darkening evening in Montana at 9:15 p.m. on June 25, 2019. Powering the short local with two cars for the ce... (more)

Powered by Montana Rail Link GP9 No. 109 and SD40-2 No. 250, MRL’s Helena switch zips over Winston Hill with two cars for the cement plant in Townsend following a BNSF coal train into the darkenin... (more)

Switching Montana City
The crew of Montana Rail Link GP9 No. 109 and SD40-2XR No. 262 make quick work of switching the Ash Grove Cement plant at Montana City, Montana, on the afternoon ... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch zips over Winston Hill between Louisville and Winston, Montana, on the morning of June 30, 2017. The short two-car local is headed for the lime plant at Townsend ... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch meets MRL’s Laurel to Missoula manifest freight (MLAUMIS) at Winston, Montana, on the morning of July 3, 2018.

After switching the cement plant at Townsend, Montana, on the morning of October 17, 2018, Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch arrives at the siding preparing to runaround its train before heading b... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch descends Winston Hill passing milepost 216 east of Winston, Montana, heading for some work at Townsend on the morning of July 5, 2018.