A forlorn Northern Pacific telegraph pole and the abandoned right-of-way of the once mighty Milwaukee Road serve as ghostly apparitions of Southwest Montana's rich railroad history — meanwhile, a pair of endangered Montana Rail Link EMD's accelerate across the causeway at Sappington, MT., on the now BNSF (formerly MRL 5th Subdivision) with a five-car train for Logan. On the railroad, the only constant is change.

Tags:   Burlington Northern Santa Fe Montana Rail Link Sappington MRL MRL 5th Subdivision Aerial EMD Locomotive Railroad Railfan Railway Train Trains Shortline Branchline Scenic Mountain River

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Easing over rails that once carried Northern Pacific's renowned North Coast Limited, BNSF ES44C4 8119 arrives at Pipestone, MT, with an empty ballast train bound for reloading at Conda Mining's Pipestone Quarry. This train is operating over a surviving section of the beloved Homestake Pass, a line that has been largely embargoed since 1983. Following BNSF's acquisition of the MRL in early 2024, only a once-a-week local from Logan and increasingly rare ballast trains use the line, with the latter being the sole traffic west of Whitehall. Despite the sparse traffic, the stretch between Whitehall and Pipestone offers a breathtakingly rugged backdrop as these ballast trains ascend the Continental Divide, making their way to the quarry load-out at Pipestone.

Earlier in the day, I missed the train as it departed Manhattan for Pipestone, along with all the scenic shots through Jefferson Canyon. The clouds had been highly unpredictable, adding to the challenge. When I thought all hope was lost, I made a "Hail Mary" drive from Logan to Pipestone. As I arrived, I spotted the train in the distance, and the clouds began to clear, giving way to golden evening light. The race to Pipestone had paid off.

Tags:   Whitehall Montana United States Pipestone Homestake Pass BNSF Ballast Train MRL 5th Subdivision Montana Rail Link Freight Train Train Trains Railroad Railfan Railway Railroading Mountain Rockies Quarry Landscape Scenic Scenery Rugged Burlington Northern Santa Fe

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