Photo ID: 111380 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, December 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 172 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF, Montana Rail Link While I've never been a fan of EMD's latest nose, which includes the "notch" on either side for visibility, I will say that the ubiquitousness of SD70ACes in railroad today has allowed me to get used to the nose. While not at the top of my list of favorite diesel locomotives, I do not mind the look of the SD70ACe at this point. A BNSF SD70Ace and an MRL SD70ACe bring up the tail end of this Provo-Denver manifest. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111376 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, December 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 222 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF, Montana Rail Link A nice surprise on the tail end of BNSF's Provo-Denver was an MRL SD70ACe. As you are probably aware, and perhaps have even read here on the site, MRL units have becoming easier to catch outside Montana since BNSF's took over Montana Rail Link at the start of 2024. With the MRL power now officially owned by BNSF, the power has been scattered across the BNSF system. Eventually, it will be repainted in BNSF colors. In the meantime, it is a great splash of color have MRL blue in the Colorado High Country! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111329 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 17, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Irondale Commerce City, CO 238 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Brush (BNSF) Montana Rail Link, BNSF While I was very sad when MRL (Montana Rail Link) ceased to exist at the start of 2024 after BNSF took it over, the one possible benefit is that all the MRL power is now owned by BNSF. And, as a result, MRL units are now roaming BNSF's system, offering greater opportunities to get shots of units outside of Montana. Such is the case here as an MRL SD70ACe is the second unit on an eastbound coal empty headed for the Powder River Basin. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111324 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 17, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tonville Weld County, CO 266 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Brush (BNSF) Montana Rail Link, BNSF One of the 29 MRL SD70ACes is the second unit on this westbound Lincoln, NE to Denver, CO manifest sitting in the siding at Tonville. All 29 SD70ACes, as well as the rest of MRLs power, transferred over to BNSF ownership at the start of 2024 after BNSF bought out the contract with MRL. The contract was formed in 1987 and was originally signed for 60 years, set to expire in 2047. With increasing traffic on BNSF's norther Transcon, BNSF wanted to reclaim possession of the MRL. Both railroads came to agreement on the terms, and the STB approved the early contract termination in March 2023. On January 1, 2024, the MRL ceases to exist, with all assets absorbed by BNSF. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111306 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 17, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed BNSF Engine House Denver, CO 196 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Yard Shots Montana Rail Link, BNSF Buried in the fuel tracks at BNSF's 38th Street engine house, this MRL SD70ACe (4305) awaits its next assignment. BNSF took control of MRL at the start of 2024. Since then, the MRL power has been scattered across the BNSF system, being assigned to trains like any other BNSF unit. However, the MRL units are not (yet) equipped with PTC, so they, sadly, never on the point of a train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111166 Date Shot Photo By Friday, October 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South Denver Denver, CO 264 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Montana Rail Link In July 2005, Montana Rail Link updated their fleet of engines by adding some SD70ACes. Over a couple of years, MRL would add a total of 29 SD70ACes to their roster. Now, with MRL having been absorbed into BNSF at the start of 2024, MRL's SD70ACes have started to roam the BNSF system. Here, MRL 4305 is a DPU on a southbound coal load. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110718 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 229 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF A rare visitor to the Moffat to be sure, MRL 4303 was the trailing DPU on this eastbound BNSF manifest. The train is crossing Simms Street in Arvada, headed for BNSF's 31st Street Yard. BNSF took over the MRL on January 1, 2024. Since then, MRL units have started to roam the BNSF system. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110717 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 273 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF On January 1, 2024, the lease that created the MRL on October 31, 1987 was terminated early. In 2022, BNSF agreed to pay MRL $2 billion to terminate the lease early. The lease was originally created for 60 years, set to expire in 2047. With BNSF taking over the MRL, the MRL power (now owned by BNSF) left Montana to explore the BNSF system. MRL 4303 happened to be the rear DPU on BNSF's Provo-Denver this afternoon. BNSF will eventually repaint the units, and the classic blue and large "W" will fade into rail history. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110716 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 242 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF With MRL (Montana Rail Link) now owned by BNSF, former MRL units are roaming free on the BNSF system. One of the 29 SD70ACes happened to be the trailing DPU unit on BNSF's Provo-Denver manifest on this July afternoon. Eventually, no doubt, the MRL units will be painted orange. I will certainly miss the distinctive blue scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110715 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 241 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF An MRL SD70ACe, now owned by BNSF, brough up the end of this eastbound Provo-Denver. In another 12 miles or so, the train will reach BNSF's 31st Street Yard and the power will be taken off and serviced. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105548 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 51.5 Still Water County, MT 2081 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link An eastbound BNSF manifest crosses over the Yellowstone River in between Reed Point and Craver. Very tragically, the train actually hit a cow that was standing on the tracks at the beginning of the bridge. When coming up on the bridge, my dad and I saw the cow and yelled at it, but it just stared back. We moved to the far end of the bridge and hoped that the train would be loud enough to get it move. Unfortunately, it wasn't. The crew called in the hit to the dispatcher. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105547 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Reed Point Reed Point, MT 1916 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link As of the 2000 census, the town of Reed Point had a population of 185! To change things up a bit, I thought a shot looking down main street (actually named "Division Street") would be cool. Imagine a day when it was Northern Pacific units rolling through town! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105546 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Quebec Sweet Grass County, MT 1344 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link A westbound grain train slowly moves toward the west end of Quebec while a high priority manifest moves east on the main at 45 MPH. The siding is over 9,000 feet long, allowing for the grain train to easily clear the east end and continue rolling toward the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105545 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Quebec Sweet Grass County, MT 1365 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link A westbound BNSF grain train is in the siding at Quebec, waiting for the arrival of an eastbound manifest. The timing for the meet was really good, and the train is actually moving slowly (maybe 5 MPH) toward the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105544 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, August 15, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Greycliff Greycliff, MT 1569 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad 2nd Subdivision (MRL) BNSF, Montana Rail Link BNSF's Pasco to Kansas City manifest is moving at 45 MPH through Greycliff. This manifest carries the symbol HPASKCK9-14A. One of the key portions of that symbol is the "9". That indicates it is a high priority train. Very high. To the point that it shouldn't be stopped save for other higher priority "9" trains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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