After a brief stop in Helena, a fresh MRL crew is now on board to take this high priority BNSF manifest east toward Laurel. The train departed Pasco, WA the day before and is headed toward Kansas City.
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This eastbound BNSF manifest is just about over the top of Mullan Pass. It is approaching the east switch of the siding at Blossburg, which is located near the mouth of the west portal of Mullan Tunnel. This particularly manifest is considered high priority by BNSF, and won't be waiting around anywhere for very long.
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The summer of 2015 has been a bad one for forest fires in Montana. Over 40 of them are burning in the state and the smoke is bad! All of the haze you see here is the result of smoke. These SD70ACes are headed back east toward Helena, where the haze is, unfortunately, no better.
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A quartet of ten year old SD70ACes head east at Austin on their wait back to Helena. The units just helped a unit grain train to climb the steep grades on the east slope of Mullan Pass. After cutting off at the summit, the units return to Helena to wait for the next westbound in need of assistance.
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A quartet of SD70ACes cross over the Austin Creek Trestle, just east of Mullan Pass. The units serve as manned helpers to assist in the climb up and over Mullan Pass. The units just helped a unit grain train over the pass and are now returning light to Helena to await their next helper assignment.
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Waiting for a new crew to be called to take it west, Montana Rail Link's "LM" (Laurel to Missoula) manifest sits in the yard at Helena. All of the haze in the shot is the result of smoke being generated by over 40 forest fires in the state!
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The capital of Montana! The depot in Helena, original constructed by and used by Northern Pacific, still stands and looks great. Helena is a crew change point for the Montana Rail Link, so the depot is used quite a bit by the railroad.
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The head end of this coal load has knocked down a clear signal at the east switch of Manhattan. The train is moving toward Logan and, beyond that, Lombard Canyon. Due to more than 40 forest fires burning in Montana, it is starting to get a touch hazy from drifting smoke!
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This being my first trip (ever) to Montana, I was a little surprised by the amount of farm land! But there was a lot of it. One such farm resides along MRL's 2nd Subdivision just east of Manhattan. And, on this Friday evening, it is watering time! A BNSF coal load passes quickly by, moving at about 45 MPH, on its journey west.
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For my first trip to visit Montana Rail Link, I invited my dad to come along with me. He is the reason that I love both trains and photography. I have many fond memories of train chasing with him both along the Moffat and the Joint Line. Memories include our car breaking down on a snowy night along I-25, and the battery in his motorcycle dying in Colorado Springs. Fortunately, we didn't have any troubles while making new memories here in Montana.
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Just west of the siding of Bozeman, this BNSF coal train is running on clear signals as it continues west. The train will meet an eastbound coal empty a bit further west at the siding of Belgrade.
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The Northern Pacific Depot still stands in Bozeman, MT, although it is a little bit worse for the wear. It has been completely boarded up and there is a significant amount of graffiti on the outside. MRL's 841 local comes down the main past the depot, ready to do some more switching off of the mainline.
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There are a few signal bridges with searchlight signals still standing on Montana Rail Link. The west switch of Bozeman is one such example. Here, the 841 local is backing out on to the main track in order to perform some additional switching. Note the brakeman on the centerbeam flat at the back, protecting the reverse move.
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The 841 local moves west on the siding at Bozeman toward the west end. The local has a clear signal to come out of the siding and on to the main track. Once there, the dispatcher will realign the switch for the main and flag the local back down the main toward more of its train that needs to be switched out.
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Montana Rail Link's 841 local backs passed the Bozeman Depot on the siding. The local is working on getting some switching done in order to allow a westbound coal load come through and continue west. This unit was built as an SD40 and was originally C&S. While is still looks like an SD40 on the outside, it has been upgraded to an SD40-2 internally.
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