MRL Montana Mainline, Part 1

In big sky Montana. If you listen closely, you just might hear the pulse of a regional railroad that has been beating strongly for nearly a quarter of a century: The Montana Rail Link.

Rolling over 900 miles of former Northern Pacific track through Montana, Idaho and Washington State, the MRL passes through some of the most splendid scenery the NP had to offer. MRL serves as a bridge line for BNSF Railway between Laurel, Montana and Spokane, Washington. BNSF trains make up the majority of traffic seen here, although they are operated by MRL crews. In Part 1 of our two-part video series, we cover the First and Second Subdivisions between Jones Junction and Helena, Montana. The railroad follows the Yellowstone River west to Livingston, then up over Bozeman Pass, through Lombard Canyon and over Winston Hill before arriving at Helena. Thrill to the sight and sound of genuine 20 cylinder SD45’s shoving heavy unit trains over Bozeman Pass! Watch MRL and BNSF trains at several scenic locations in both summer and winter. Catch 125 car coal trains, grain trains, mixed manifests, locals and the special Boeing 737 train. The combination of great scenery and raw horsepower makes this an exciting video to see and hear! This program was shot in January and July of 2011.