Pulling away from the yard at Oxy, where they just set out the majority of their inbound train, Trona Railway's afternoon job is headed back home. I liked this spot because you can see the majorit... (more)

Thundering up the grade near Garlock, the local has 60 cars for the Trona Railway at Searles. Utilizing the old SP Jawbone Branch (now the Lone Pine Sub), this train is the lifeblood of the Searle... (more)

With an unusual 2 set as opposed to the normal 3-7, Trona's afternoon job is in full dynamics as they wind down the hill towards the storage yard at Oxy. Behind them are a small portion of the fam... (more)

Soon after clearing the storage yard at Oxy far in the distance, the engineer has all 5 of his sun beaten locomotives in the corner as they start up the stair step grade that will soon have the tr... (more)

Winston Hill is a great spot to watch storms form over the mountains and move about. A perfectly sunny day gave way to thick clouds later in the afternoon. As much as I wanted sun, I think this tu... (more)

Slowly reentering civilization, the Logan Local claws up the 2.2% grade as it crosses over the first of two ancient wooden trestles on the last part of the trip to Harrison. Note the "repairs... (more)

We've all been there. You hike up to a spot, sometimes in snow up to your waist and check the angles with your camera. ERROR NO CARD. So you run back to the vehicle, thanking the lord you have bac... (more)

The winter in Montana is good for two things; eradicating mosquitoes and keeping visitors away. The summer saw unprecedented hordes of people visit the MRL, with almost every blue movement covered... (more)

Anyone who has spent any time in cold weather knows that when a train is kicking up snow like that on a calm day... it's cold. Although not rare by any means, 6 axles on the Logan Local are certai... (more)

"We're in the endgame now." Those famous words, uttered by Dr. Strange in Marvel's Avengers Infinity War, have now become true for the big blue western railroad. Today, the railroad offi... (more)

I have been hesitant to post much MRL stuff this year, mostly due to the fact that the state has been swamped with people all summer and most are probably sick of it by now! It hasn't stopped me f... (more)

SD45's and searchlight signals... as modern as the Northern Pacific ever got, still alive in 2022...

Growing up you always hear about barn finds. Someone finds a classic car, priceless artwork or something of historical value that had been locked away and forgotten about. Never does one hear abou... (more)

I think all of us at some point ask ourselves if what we are doing is worth it. In my case, driving for hours in awful road conditions for a long hood forward geep? After Montana was slammed with ... (more)

Of all the abandonments and tracks ripped out during the Burlington Northern's purge of the 1980's, one of the most short sighted and foolish had to be the removal the Park Branch. Laid in 1883 fr... (more)