Photo ID: 105542 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 100 Park County, MT 1331 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link About 15 miles east of Livingston, an eastbound BNSF manifest headed for Kansas City rounds this curve along the shores of the Yellowstone River. Some rafters are enjoying a Saturday trip down the river. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105540 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 120 Park County, MT 1579 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF Nearing the bottom of Bozeman Pass, this BNSF manifest is approaching the O'Rea Creek Road grade crossing. Because this is a high priority manifest for BNSF, Montana Rail Link is keeping it moving quickly across its system. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105539 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West Muir Park County, MT 1522 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link The siding of Muir is about 8,685 feet long and leads right up to the east portal of Bozeman Tunnel. The head end of this manifest has just emerged from the tunnel, while a good portion of it remains back in the tunnel. The siding is the only one between the Bozeman Pass Summit and Livingston Yard, located roughly 12 miles to the east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105538 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West Muir Park County, MT 1388 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link After popping out of the east portal of Bozeman Tunnel, this eastbound BNSF manifest is on the main at West Muir. Bozeman Tunnel has sidings on either side of it, within a few thousand feet of the tunnel portal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105510 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Bozeman Tunnel Park County, MT 1578 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link When the Northern Pacific originally built up and over Bozeman Pass in 1882, the tracks passed through a 3,652-foot-long tunnel. In 1945, Northern Pacific replaced the tunnel with the current 3,015-foot-long tunnel. You can clearly see the portal of the original tunnel here, now fenced off and largely covered in dirt and foliage. I do not know exactly why the replaced the tunnel...if you have information on this, feel free to leave it in the comments! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105506 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 120 Park County, MT 1640 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) Montana Rail Link, BNSF At first glance, you may think this coal train is coming toward the photographer. You might also notice that the headlights on MRL 290 are on dim. These three MRL units are actually manned helpers pushing hard on this coal train, which is climbing Bozeman Pass. The coal train is running in a 3x(0)x4 configuration. Once at the top of the pass, the three MRL units will cut off the train and return to Livingston Yard. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105505 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1461 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) Montana Rail Link About 24 hours earlier, this SDP40R was in Laurel, being setup as the third unit on the "LM" freight. It seems the unit may have been in Laurel for either a checkup or for repairs. The LM set the unit out in Livingston and, today, it is being used in helper service on Bozeman Pass. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105504 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1235 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) Montana Rail Link Montana Rail Link takes quite a bit of pride in their motive power. Manned helper used to assist in the climb over Bozeman Pass and Mullan Pass can wind up extremely dirty. But MRL regularly washes their helper units in Livingston (Bozeman Pass) and Helena (Mullan Pass), keeping them looking shiny clean. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105503 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1323 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) Montana Rail Link This is one of several SD70ACes that is currently based out of Livingston Yard and is used in manned helper service on Bozeman Pass. It seems that MRL has been pleased with the new units from EMD, as they started with 16 units and have recently expanded that to 25. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105502 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1346 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link This coal train was given to MRL with three units on the point and a single DPU on the end. That probably offers around 1.04 HPT (horsepower per ton), which isn't enough to get the train over Bozeman Pass. To keep the train from stalling out. MRL added manned helpers at Livingston Yard to assist. Now, the train has closer to 1.75 HPT, sufficient to get it over the pass...albeit slowly! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105501 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1715 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link During the four day trip my dad and I took to Montana and Wyoming, this was my favorite picture! A westbound BNSF coal train is charging up the eastern slope of Bozeman Pass. While this is a BNSF train, a Montana Rail Link crew is in control as the train climbs the 1.8%. Livingston Peak (9,295 feet above sea level) sits in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105500 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 119 Park County, MT 1372 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link 9,295-foot-tall Livingston Peak stands tall in the distance on a beautiful August afternoon as a BNSF coal load works hard on the pull up the east side of Bozeman Pass. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105499 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 116 Park County, MT 1592 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link As this westbound BNSF coal load (with MRL crew) heads west out of Livingston, MT toward Bozeman Pass, Livingston Peak stands tall in the distance. The mountain peak is 9.295 feet high and is located in the Absaroka Mountain Range. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105498 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 116 Park County, MT 1348 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF With its helpers attached, this westbound coal load now has the horsepower it needs in order to conquer the steep grades of Bozeman Pass. Not far ahead, the siding will converge with the main and the train will make it charge up the single track main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105496 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 14, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 117 Park County, MT 1255 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) Montana Rail Link These light units are headed east toward the yard at Livingston where there is a westbound coal load waiting for them. The helpers will hook on to the end of the coal load and help shove the train over Bozeman Pass. The helpers will then return down to Livingston and do it yet again for a second coal load waiting to go over the pass as well. Fortunately, it is only about 14 miles from Livingston to the top of the pass, so it doesn't take too long for the helpers to return after each shove. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Next Page