Good catch with the first train Bevan, excellent to see the former BHP Iron Ore SD70ACe 4308 now as MRL 4317 leading the remotes at 2:15 with sister 4302 now MRL 4316 also in the helpers. Cheers, Toad.
Love the thumping of those MRL EMD's! it reminds me a bit of the SD40-2s. That low note through the ground in notch 8 could be heard and felt from miles away.
I loved this. Only thing I wish is that you had a separate, un-edited video of that long coal train... I've always had a peculiar habit of counting freight cars and writing down the type as they go by. So was a bit disappointed at the edits, although skillfully done.
Hi Im not Bevan..just thought I would chime in on what I know since I worked with both MRL and BNRR in Helena. (short version)MRL was created in the 80s by the Washington Corporation based in Missoula MT. They bought up used locomotives to be utilized as helper units for hire by BNRR and other rail companies. MRL also ran MRL branded freight trains through Montana. In 1989, MRL had a disaster occur that started out on Mullan Pass with an end result in Helena. You can read and watch videos of the 1989 event which changed MRL drastically. Years after the 1989 event MRL purchased all new SD70 aces locomotives to be used in what your seeing in this awesome video..helper units for assisting BNRR over MT mountain passes and hauling coal, freight etc through Montana. I come back on occasion and catch up on all these awesome people who take the time to make these railway videos!
The relationship is that MRL leases the track from BNSF. They run some of their own trains, but most of their business is that they interchange with BNSF in something like seven places. BNSF drops off a train and an MRL crew takes it through the mountains and returns it to BNSF at the other end. In early 2022, MRL agreed to let BNSF buy out the lease. BNSF are going to pay MRL something like $2B to end the lease early and resume running the line themselves, subject to the Surface Transportation Board agreeing.
With three locos in front, four in the middle and one at the end won't the knuckle in any of the cars become weak and break? How do the despatchers decide the no. of locos to haul and the backer?
The point of distributing locomotives through the train is precisely to avoid knuckles breaking. If you put eight locomotives on the front, the knuckle of the first car is lifting the whole train up the hill and it will break. By spreading the locomotives out, in effect, the first quarter of the train is being pulled by the lead locomotives; the second quarter is being pushed by the mid-train helpers; the third quarter is being pulled by the mid-train helpers and the last quarter is being pushed by the rear helper. (Of course, that's an over-simplified version and all the cars are being part-pulled and part-pushed, but you get the picture.) This means there's far less stress on the couplers.
I observe that quite a few refrigrated cars. what do they carry, perishables or fruits or other items meant to be kept under refrigerated conditions? Of course under the present conditions, i.e., in Feb.2021 I would have thought 'Vaccinne'
Any sort of food that needs to be refrigerated. It's possible that they could be carrying vaccines, but not the Pfizer one that has to be stored at -75C -- a reefer can't get anything like that cold.
![[65][4k] Montana Rail Link Helpers on Mullan Pass, MRL 3rd Sub, MT 06/17+19/2018 ©mbmars01](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/c8UxIYaV8V4/mqdefault.jpg)
amazing shots
Such a beautiful sound coming from the Montana Raillink locomotives.
Much respect to those engineers
Thanks airing and sharing the outstanding video.Exertions are prominent.Bliss
Lookin' good. Makes me want to go back and revisit this line. It's been almost six years since I've been out there.
Awesome video and camera work!
Good catch with the first train Bevan, excellent to see the former BHP Iron Ore SD70ACe 4308 now as MRL 4317 leading the remotes at 2:15 with sister 4302 now MRL 4316 also in the helpers. Cheers, Toad.
Great catches, that was a ill sound K5HL on the lead unit of the first train
That's not the horn. The horn had completely failed and the crew had to catch a Canada goose to make the warning sounds. True fact!
@@beeble2003 😂😂🤦♀️ no bad sounding goose ,
Breathtaking scenery and excellent camera work!
Keep them coming Bevan , I've always had a passion for coal and oil trains !
Great shots. Great camera work. Excellent video.
I love the shots that you took on Mullan Pass recently Bevan, I would really like to travel to this part of the world at some stage.
+1
Hermoso vídeo y el paisaje de Montana es precioso ,gracias.
super video new friend! Thank you for sharing! Greeting from Vietnam.
Love the thumping of those MRL EMD's! it reminds me a bit of the SD40-2s. That low note through the ground in notch 8 could be heard and felt from miles away.
Awesome!
Fantastic video! Great shots of the trains and scenery! Keep up the great work! I liked and subscribed to you.
Very nice footage, Liked & Subscribed 👍😎
ジーゼルの圧倒的な力強さが伝わって来ます かなう事なら実際に体全体で感じてみたい迫力間
Unless you like the really cold weather, i reckon Montana in summer would be far better.
John Hutchinson I always visit that area in/around June. Gorgeous scenery and temps in the upper 60’s. Excellent weather for watching trains!
I know I live under a rock but I have never seen a Montana Rail Link locomotive tell now
Wow wow wow...after I retire, I shall try to visit this place....and watch for hours....hopefully we will still have diesel fuels then...
Bnsf 5743 1st gen K5HL horn fouled horn
I loved this. Only thing I wish is that you had a separate, un-edited video of that long coal train... I've always had a peculiar habit of counting freight cars and writing down the type as they go by. So was a bit disappointed at the edits, although skillfully done.
The horn on the very first train sounds absolutely horrendous
The crossing at 11:00 is the westbound route crossing Austin road west of Helena MT
cool
Yet another great video Bevan, but what is the connection between BNSF and Rail Link?
Hi Im not Bevan..just thought I would chime in on what I know since I worked with both MRL and BNRR in Helena. (short version)MRL was created in the 80s by the Washington Corporation based in Missoula MT. They bought up used locomotives to be utilized as helper units for hire by BNRR and other rail companies. MRL also ran MRL branded freight trains through Montana. In 1989, MRL had a disaster occur that started out on Mullan Pass with an end result in Helena. You can read and watch videos of the 1989 event which changed MRL drastically. Years after the 1989 event MRL purchased all new SD70 aces locomotives to be used in what your seeing in this awesome video..helper units for assisting BNRR over MT mountain passes and hauling coal, freight etc through Montana. I come back on occasion and catch up on all these awesome people who take the time to make these railway videos!
The relationship is that MRL leases the track from BNSF. They run some of their own trains, but most of their business is that they interchange with BNSF in something like seven places. BNSF drops off a train and an MRL crew takes it through the mountains and returns it to BNSF at the other end.
In early 2022, MRL agreed to let BNSF buy out the lease. BNSF are going to pay MRL something like $2B to end the lease early and resume running the line themselves, subject to the Surface Transportation Board agreeing.
15:18 is that 7 locos!!
Awesome 20hz engine sound 8:30
With three locos in front, four in the middle and one at the end won't the knuckle in any of the cars become weak and break? How do the despatchers decide the no. of locos to haul and the backer?
The point of distributing locomotives through the train is precisely to avoid knuckles breaking. If you put eight locomotives on the front, the knuckle of the first car is lifting the whole train up the hill and it will break. By spreading the locomotives out, in effect, the first quarter of the train is being pulled by the lead locomotives; the second quarter is being pushed by the mid-train helpers; the third quarter is being pulled by the mid-train helpers and the last quarter is being pushed by the rear helper. (Of course, that's an over-simplified version and all the cars are being part-pulled and part-pushed, but you get the picture.) This means there's far less stress on the couplers.
🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂
where are the rest of the cars?
I observe that quite a few refrigrated cars. what do they carry, perishables or fruits or other items meant to be kept under refrigerated conditions? Of course under the present conditions, i.e., in Feb.2021 I would have thought 'Vaccinne'
Any sort of food that needs to be refrigerated. It's possible that they could be carrying vaccines, but not the Pfizer one that has to be stored at -75C -- a reefer can't get anything like that cold.
Horn sounds terrible on the first train