A quartet of Montana Rail Link SD70ACes get a roll on it leaving Austin siding to return to Helena after helping a train over Mullan Pass. In the background a westbound grain train is being helped... (more)

A quartet of Montana Rail Link SD70ACes help lift a loaded westbound grain train up Mullan Pass west of Helena. This location is just east of the east switch of Austin siding. Note this group of h... (more)

Montana Rail Link helpers descend back to Helena after helping a train west over Mullan Pass. The quartet is cruising east of Austin near Birds Eye on the former NP main.

MRL 4314 brings up the rear of a quartet of helpers inserted in the manifest headed west behind BNSF 5113. The train is crossing the first of two crossings over the road into Austin, MT. Once thro... (more)

A Montana Rail Link helper set curves into Austin, Montana, on June 29, 2016, heading back to Helena to help another train up Mullan Pass. Note how No. 4302, the eastern locomotive in the consist ... (more)

Newly Minted MRL SD70ACe's Climb the Grade Toward Mullan Tunnel

The occasion of an empty flat car affords a view of a westbound manifest climbing the grade at the scenic location of Austin, MT, several miles west of Helena. Behind the five unit helper set of S... (more)

Descending the grade through Austin, Montana, an eastbound BNSF coal empty comes off Mullan Pass on a beautiful late summer afternoon along the MRL's 3rd Subdivision.

One of the MRL's helper sets eases across the grade crossing and by the east switch at Austin, Montana to shove onto the rear of a stalled out BNSF grain train while "Top 10" Railpicture... (more)

Begining the climb up Mullan Pass on MRL's 3rd Subdivision, a westbound BNSF auto rack train works upgrade through Austin, Montana with an NS SD60E trailing in the consist.

A set of MRL helper units changes ends near the east switch at Austin, Montana on the 3rd Sub, and will proceed down the main and couple onto the rear of a stalled out BNSF grain train in order to... (more)

Digging into the stiff grade at Austin, Montana on the MRL's 3rd Subdivision, a westbound BNSF general freight begins the climb up Mullan Pass with some CN pool power adding some welcomed variety ... (more)

Bringing up the rear of an eastbound BNSF grain train, a lone CREX ES44AC provides some additional braking power as it heads downhill toward Helena, Montana on the MRL's 3rd Subdivision.

BNSF has recently launched a new intermodal service from Portland, Oregon to Alliance, Texas, and one of the first trains has just come off Mullan Pass as it heads downgrade through Austin, Monta... (more)

After assisting a stalled westbound BNSF grain train up Mullan Pass, MRL helper set #3 coasts downgrade near Austin on the MRL's 3rd Subdivision.