With stormy clouds across the Missouri River Valley, a hole of sun breaks through just as the Montana Rail Link’s Helena Local approaches the control point at the summit of Winston Hill in Winst... (more)

Montana’s Horse Gulch fire, first reported earlier this day north of Canyon Ferry Lake, continues to grow and begins to lay down smoke to the west as sunset nears on July 9, 2024. Nearby on the ... (more)

It's a busy evening in Winston, Montana at the siding near the top of the grade on Montana Rail Link's 2nd Subdivision. With the MRL's Helena Local and an eastbound manifest freight both pulled in... (more)

During the bridge rebuild at Reed Point that severed Montana Rail Link’s main line from June 24 to July 22, 2023, the railroad operated several different turns and the usual locals to serve thei... (more)

BNSF's H LAUPAS departs the west switch at Winston, MT.

An eastbound BNSF coal empty meets a westbound BNSF coal train at Winston, Montana, on September 26, 2007. Montana Rail Link’s 840 local power was used to help the westbound coal load up Winston... (more)

Storming past milepost 215
Montana’s Winston Hill between Townsend and Helena seems to be a magnate for afternoon thunderstorms in summer. Being east of the Continental Divide and wed... (more)

Searchlight signals protect the west end of Winston siding atop Winston Hill on Montana Rail Link’s Second Subdivision on the afternoon of July 2, 2018. Slowly climbing the grade from Townsend i... (more)

Out of the storm
With the collapse and reconstruction of MRL’s Yellowstone River Bridge near Reed Point from June 24 to July 22, 2023, and the subsequent severing of a busy main line,... (more)

On the afternoon of July 6, 2023, Montana Rail Link’s Helena local hauls eleven cars downgrade out of Winston for the lime plant at Townsend, Montana. It’s raining, but I still shot the local ... (more)

Just after sunset on July 5, 2023, Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe Nos. 4302 and 4301 power a Helena to Bozeman turn dropping downgrade past milepost 214 east of Winston, Montana.

With th... (more)

With the collapse of Montana Rail Link’s Yellowstone River Bridge near Reed Point under the weight of MLAUMIS on June 24, 2023, and the subsequent severing of a busy main line, MRL and BNSF had ... (more)

After the passage of a thunderstorm on the afternoon of July 6, 2023, Montana Rail Link’s Helena local growls up Winston Hill under dark skies as it approaches the top of the hill at Winston, Mo... (more)

On June 24, 2023, Montana Rail Link’s bridge spanning the Yellowstone River near Reed Point collapsed as the railroad’s Laurel to Missoula freight crossed it, sending ten cars into the drink a... (more)

Dwarfed by the surrounding terrain, Montana Rail Link's Helena Local heads east as it descends Winston Hill outside of Winston, Montana behind a GP9 and SD45. The train is bound for Townsend at th... (more)