4/25/2024
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Viewing Album: Montana Rail Link
By:
William H. Davis Jr.
Dates:
8/24/2009 - 8/24/2009
Album Info:
Montana Rail Link ( MRL ) is a privately held Class 2 Railroad in the United States. MRL, which operates on trackage originally built by Northern Pacific Railway, is a unit of the Washington Companies, & is headquartered in Missoula, Mt. The Railroad runs between Huntley, Mt. & Spokane, Washington, largely within Montana, & the main line passes through the towns of Missoula, Livingston, Bozeman, Billings, & Helena. Montana Rail Link connects with the BNSF on both ends & also in Garrison, Mt. The Railroad has over 900 miles of track, serves 100 stations, & employs approximately 1,000 personnel. The main yard is in Laurel, Mt. while a smaller yard is in Missoula. Montana Rail Links present status & main line date back to 1987, when MRL under Missoula businessman Dennis Washington agreed to lease Burlington Northerns southern Montana main line between Sandpoint, Idaho & Huntley, Mt. near Billings. This spin off was controversial as it happened during contract negotiations between Burlington Northern & the United Transportation Union. MRL workers are represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Montana Rail Link trains operate between Sandpoint & Spokane using trackage rights over BN successor BNSF Railway's tracks connecting those points. Montana Rail Link still uses cabooses, which are used to carry remote control switching equipment on some trains. A significant number of MRL movements are actually BNSF trains, complete with locomotives, that MRL receives at one end of its track & forwards back to BNSF at the other end. MRL also operates trains of its own to gather & distribute local freight along its lines. Forest products & grain are primary commodities, & MRL also operates a special train called the Gas Local between Missoula & Thompson Falls, Mt. to bridge a gap in a long distance gasoline pipeline. On September 8th, 2005, MRL took delivery of locomotive number 4300, the 1st of 16 new EMD SD70ACe locomotives.
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Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Eastbound Freight Train M-MISLAU ( Missoula to Laurel, Mt. ML ) passing through Milltown, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACes in charge
Photo Date:
4/15/2015
Upload Date:
5/17/2015 8:34:20 AM
Location:
Milltown, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Bridge,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4403(SD70ACe)
Views:
356
Comments:
0
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Eastbound Freight Train M-MISLAU ( ML for short Missoula to Laurel, Mt. ) rumbles through Milltown, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACes in charge
Photo Date:
4/15/2015
Upload Date:
4/16/2015 12:52:59 AM
Location:
Milltown, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4403(SD70ACe)
MRL 4402(SD70ACe)
Views:
427
Comments:
2
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Eastbound Freight Train M-MISLAU ( ML for short Missoula to Laurel, Mt. ) rumbles through Clinton, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACes leading the way
Photo Date:
4/15/2015
Upload Date:
4/16/2015 1:11:36 AM
Location:
Clinton, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4403(SD70ACe)
MRL 4402(SD70ACe)
Views:
477
Comments:
2
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Westbound Gas Local passing through Plains, Mt. on their way to work a gas plant in Thompson Falls, Mt. then will turn back to Missoula, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACes in charge
Photo Date:
4/15/2015
Upload Date:
4/16/2015 1:48:45 AM
Location:
Plains, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4406(SD70ACe)
MRL 4408(SD70ACe)
Views:
376
Comments:
4
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Westbound Night Gas Local R-MRL809 has arrived at Thompson Falls, Mt. to work a gas plant then turn back to Missoula, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACe's in charge
Photo Date:
4/15/2015
Upload Date:
4/16/2015 2:07:19 AM
Location:
Thompson Falls, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4406(SD70ACe)
MRL 4408(SD70ACe)
Views:
412
Comments:
6
Title:
Montana Rail Links 10th Sub
Description:
MRL Eastbound Gas Local R-MRL809 rumbles through Eddy, Mt. on their way back to Missoula, Mt. after working a gas company in Thompson Falls, Mt. with a pair of SD70ACes in charge with the snow capped Bitteroot Mountains as the background
Photo Date:
4/16/2015
Upload Date:
4/18/2015 2:34:32 PM
Location:
Eddy, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4408(SD70ACe)
MRL 4406(SD70ACe)
Views:
593
Comments:
0
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
BNSF Westbound Grain Train stopped at Elliston, Mt. to cut out the manned MRL helpers in middle of the train before proceeding on west while the helpers return back to Helena, Mt..
Photo Date:
4/17/2015
Upload Date:
5/9/2015 7:24:01 PM
Location:
Elliston, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4312(SD70ACe)
Views:
326
Comments:
0
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
MRL Westbound Freight Train M-LAUMIS ( Laurel to Missoula, Mt. or LM for short ) rumbles through Fox Run, Mt. in the very late evening sun with a pair of SD70ACes leading an SD40-2XR
Photo Date:
4/18/2015
Upload Date:
4/22/2015 8:35:48 PM
Location:
Fox Run, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:
MRL 4401(SD70ACe)
MRL 4400(SD70ACe)
MRL 252(SD40-2XR)
Views:
548
Comments:
0
Title:
Montana Rail Link
Description:
BNSF Westbound Freight Train M-KCKSPO ( Kansas City, Mo. to Spokane, Wa. ) passing through Reed Point, Mt. with a H-1 C44-9W leading a UP SD70ACe with 2 cars of Boeing Aircraft Wings & Boeing 737 Aircraft Bodies on the headend
Photo Date:
4/20/2015
Upload Date:
4/22/2015 10:35:16 PM
Location:
Reed Point, MT
Author:
William H. Davis Jr.
Categories:
Scenic,Action
Locomotives:
BNSF 1008(C44-9W)
Views:
288
Comments:
2
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