[65][4k] Montana Rail Link Helpers on Mullan Pass, MRL 3rd Sub, MT 06/17+19/2018 ©mbmars01
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- čas přidán 20. 07. 2018
- Montana Rail Link (MRL) s a Class II railroad and operates about 900 miles in southern Montana. This track network, much of it built by the Northern Pacific Railway at the end of the 19th century to complete the first northern transcontinental line, is owned by successor BNSF Railway; MRL has trackage rights. Among their major services, MRL uses sets of locomotives to help push/pull heavy trains over Montana's mountain passes. Most notably is helper service on Mullan Pass, located between Helena, MT and Elliston, MT, which is featured in this video. Enjoy breathtaking operations in difficult, but very scenic terrain!
Note: This video has been recorded and produced in 4k Ultra-HD resolution.
[© 2018 MBMARS Productions. Exclusive rights for CZcams channel "mbmars01" only.] - Zábava
![[66][4k] Mountain Railroad in Action, Montana Rail Link, MT, 06/19+20/2018 ©mbmars01](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mGaZRw77Now/mqdefault.jpg)
![[66][4k] Mountain Railroad in Action, Montana Rail Link, MT, 06/19+20/2018 ©mbmars01](/img/tr.png)
![[62][4k] Railroad Bottleneck Cascade Tunnel, BNSF Northern Transcon, WA 06/14+15/2018 ©mbmars01](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o0mU-H5vw1k/mqdefault.jpg)
Some of my favourite type of railroading. Great sight and sound. Excellent video.
Mountain railroading is extreme. The material is stressed almost to the limits. In that valley you could literally hear the immense forces acting on basically all parts of the cars. The engines must work very hard, every single horsepower unit is needed. Just awesome. I had a similar experience in Arizona on the Southern Transcon last year in the Crozier Canyon. Yeah, the sound is very important component of the experience!
I really enjoyed the three years stationed in Montana. The mountains were beautiful.
Fantastic Video! Thanks so much for sharing. This is my favorite segment of any railroad. I'm modeling Helena to Blossburg in HO scale. Your video will be great asset to me as I'm starting on the scenery now. Thanks again!
Many thanks. I perfectly understand it; it's just beautiful out there. I also intend to have an MRL theme on my HO layout.
Nice. Another classic and professional railroad experience. Thanks for sharing. 🚂
Thanks so much. Well, I'm simply a curious rail enthusiast who loves to understand how railroad things work.
Geez, that wheel squeal was insane! Great video!
I really enjoyed the sound in that valley :) Thanks!
The up close shots over the steel viaduct are phenomenal. Like this video very much. Thumbs up and a sub!
Great you like it. Thanks.
Great shots !!
Thank you 😊
Cool trains, love those Ace's
Oh I love them. I now also have two on my layout :)
It's always a beautiful backdrop with the seemingly perpetual mist over the mountains.
I'm glad it came out well and the camera did a good job. Light conditions were poor.
Excellent video. I believe out of all the train vids and I watch alot,a lot, the best in my book. Keep it up.
Many thanks, I really appreciate your comment! Keep watching :)
Thanks for the awesome video...
Many thanks!
Thank for the explanation of the noise on the trestle
You’re very welcome!
Very neat! Thank you.
You're welcome!
Very nice video! Seems like we're right at trackside! Thanks for sharing this wonderful video with us!
Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.
Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.
Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.
Awesome, live just about an hour and a half south of helena! Good to see some local stuff
Very cool! It must be nice to live in this area.
Great video, fabulous backdrop.
Thanks!
Excellent video
Thanks!
That was awesome ! I enjoyed that.
Cool, I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Very cool video! Thanks and greetings.
Many thanks and greetings back :)
Great video, great scenery.
Thanks! It's really beautiful out there!
Here come the helpers: Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4313, Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4309, Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4311, & Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4300.
Great job! Looked like good weather too, not too hot.
The weather looks much better in the video than it actually was. It was actually relatively hot, very humid and rainy. Fortunately, it didn't rain during most of the filming.
Great video! Congratulations!
Many thanks 😊
As a retired conductor . trains is a way of life .
Excellent video. Love the shots. That trestle looked really cool to see a coal train on. I like those helper locomotives.
Thanks. I know, this was really an extraordinary experience to see that train going over the trestle in this valley. MRL has some nice locos.
Great catches!
Good you like 'em. Thanks!
A very professional video and informative too, I'd love to join a crew on the journey over that stretch of railway. Nothing like that here in the UK, thanks for sharing.
Well, thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Kenny Sell
hey Brit brother
Great video.
Cool, thanks.
awesome video and catches.
Thank you!
Great video!
Thanks!
EXCELLENT VIDEO, FABULOUS, THAT TOMAS AND LANDSCAPES SO PRETTY, CONGRATULATIONS. ALL YOUR VIDEOS ARE VERY GOOD, GREETINGS.
This is an extraordinary area to watch trains. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. I'm glad you like the video! Thanks so much.
Thanks
Here's the power: BNSF D940CW #5482, BNSF SD70MAC #8803, BNSF SD70MAC #8890, here come the helpers: Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4313, Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4309, Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4311, Montana Rail Link SD70ACe #4300, & BNSF AC4400CW6M #5607.
Awesome video
Thanks!
Most excellent!
Great, thanks!
Your video quality, information and eye for backdrop choices are fantastic, keep up the good work man. Those MRL units are clean and sexy as hell
Many thanks. I appreciate your feedback very much. It's a lot of work to get it right, but if people like, I'm happy. These MRL SD70ACes look awesome in these mountains. Loved watching them in action.
Excelent video and good trians. Congratulation.
Many thanks, good you like it!
nice video keep up the great work
Thanks!
Fantastisch super Aufnahmen Danke für die schöne bilder you a good Video toll gemacht weiterhin good Lucky Train greetings from Germany Rhein side Düsseldorf Germany 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🎅🤶🎅🤶🎅🤶🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥
Vielen Dank! Schoene Gruesse zurueck in die alte Heimat :)
I cant wait for the caboose in the next video so eager to see it
Lol, that's funny.
Great video nice catches
Many thanks.
Thanks for an outstanding video. love those long trains with the helpers, must have some tonnage in those wagons. looked on wide screen. Do the engineers who runs the power unit go to school or do they get on the job training?
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. My understanding is that most of the training is indeed done on the road by learning from the veterans.
They also attend a 6 to 8 week training school.
That group is nice and quiet when not pulling.
That MRL looks to have a more complicated responsibility providing helpers to trains ascending the grade, -vs.- those two N-S SD40-2s do at Horseshoe Curve in PA. In MT. they actually have to break the train for inserting the helpers, wherein PA., they are just coupled on at the rear. Great video to view. Yeah, I did notice the train with the two table cars loaded with Boeing's B-737 Fuselages headed for Renton, Washington.
Yes, the MRL helpers do push and pull, which seems to be optimal. Most trains come already with their own rear DPUs, so putting more power on head or rear end might not be a well-balanced option for this section. It's a relatively big effort, but it seems MRL is very efficient to get this job done. I found this quite impressive. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to film composition and decomposition. The B737 fuselages were a nice treat. I knew I might bump into one of those trains, but it happened within minutes of my arrival in Helena. However, after exploring Marias Pass at Glacier Park in North Montana and traveling south that same day I felt too tired to chase him.
mbmars01 in Australia, Queensland especially, our coal trains usually run mid DPUs rather than front and rear PUs. Its a more efficient operation and takes weight off the front engines making it easier for railways to transport coal. Even our 60 car coal trains with electric power run a mid engine
Yea that's cool. Mid-DPUs on long-distance trains aren't uncommon here, too, but limited to certain lines and trains.
I'm not a railfan pre se', meaning I don't really go out and watch/film trains for a hobby, but I have a few friends who do. I've been a out a few times over the years with them since photography is my hobby, and it always amazes me that most engineers will wave to you. That's pretty cool that they know your a fan and they probably are too.
Most of the engineers and conductors are very friendly. Sometimes they give you an extra horn or wave, which is always appreciated. My video recording style is somewhat elaborate and requires a lot of concentration watching the small camera display. Often I see the crews' reaction only when I edit the videos.
Thanks for the response. Great work on your videos. A big part of filming your subject is the surroundings they are in and you do a great job of incorporating both, makes for very entertaining and enjoyable watching. I subbed you, looking forward to more.
Very cool, thank you. I'm happy you like this style. BTW, regarding footage of surroundings, I have a second channel - mbmars02 - which is more like a travel channel with focus on National Parks, cities, landmarks, etc. Maybe you like it, too :)
I'll check it out. I primarily shoot still frame. I enjoy "in the moment" style of photography, meaning no posing or preparing... point and shoot. People, landscape, buildings, gulf of mexico, urban decay and of course portraits, have to make a buck at it when you can. :-) I also secondary that with astrophotography of space and whatever I can capture. Video and photo really is capturing time in a fraction of a second and its fun to go back and see what you actually captured. Trains have always fascinated me (except when stuck at one trying to get to work lol) so that's why I came a cross your channel. Thanks
I understand it! I've done still photography for many years before I got more and more into railroad photography, but I didn't like that the photos didn't capture the dynamics of a train well. After all, trains are moving objects. So I switched to video. Cool, I also did a lot of astrophotography - taking many shots of the same faint object at short exposures to compensate for Earth's rotation and then overlaying them on the computer to reveal the structure of comets, star clusters, or nebulae. It was fun, but a lot of work and I realized I had reached the limits. The next step would have required a small telescope with automatic tracking and a good CCD camera, altogether several thousand $. I wasn't willing to invest this much - with no chance to beat Hubble images anyway :)
Great video. I go to the NRE here locally where there they have rows of hundred of engines that get scraped and rebuilt on my page.
Thanks! Wow...
Ok....beautiful country....
U make the best train videos
Very cool. As long as they are good enough that some people like to watch them, I'm happy :)
One question what Carrer do u want to be when you grown up ? ???
When I was a small boy I wanted to become a locomotive engineer, but I've never worked for any railroad.
What an awesome job that would be..... I'm jealous. Nice vid, and the sound was very good aside from the occasional wind in the microphone.
Thanks!
I love your videos man, I've been trying to create some of my own to get started, so I would love to know what you use to edit your videos?
That's great, thanks! I use Final Cut Pro X for editing the videos.
Fantastic
Thanks!
Is it true that for every locomotive on the line there are 100 cars???
With endless 105 plus degree weather here in central Texas and a long drought, that looks awesome. Something I've never seen in Texas is the helper engines in the middle of trains. What is the purpose? Why not place them on the end of train? Thank you.
I understand you, but it was actually a humid and rainy day - not the best conditions for filming. For some of the footage I needed to protect the camera with an umbrella!
I was wondering if the sequence of cutting out the helpers has been documented. I would love to see that process!
great video
Thanks!
@@mbmars01 your welcome i liked the new CN
I'm new to this so you'll have to pardon my ignorance... just wondering about the train crew of the helper units. Do they stay with the (helpers???) and then turn the operation over to the engineer on the lead train? Or does the lead train operate the helper units? I am old as dirt, and remember back in the 70's when I worked for Canadian Pacific (on the telecommunications gang) that they had back then, robot units. I am sure they don't use them any more and have been replaced by something more advanced. Thank you for the great videos. It takes me back to a much younger time in my life. Who knows? if I had it to all over again, I might have liked to become an engineer.
It really depends. Some helper units or DPUs have crews, in particular those that only push a limited distance and return to help another train. Regular DPUs on long distance trains are controlled from the lead locomotive.
@@mbmars01 if I had to guess they're not running as a mid train dpu but as an actual mid train manned pusher hence having a crew etc. Though having re watched the video, the rear BNSF units are most likely DPU's. So I stand corrected.
How many crew per engine?
@@maxr.mamint8580 head end crew of 2 and each set helper set has a crew of 2. The BNSF trailing units are likely DPU's and have no crew.
@@ljones121 Thanks for the reply! What do they call the engineer's assistant nowadays? Still called Fireman? Im sorry for the lame questions; I just have no idea. I've always heard there's an engineer who drives the train, his right-hand man (was) the fireman, and they operated the equipment. Then there's the conductor, who manages the train as a complete entity (says where we go, where we're stopping, what we're dropping off or picking up, etc.) and is responsible for getting the freight from point A to point B and on time. Also, brakemen wouldve been used to set brakes on all the cars (back before air brakes). Am I totally wrong, lol?
Newbie question, the wheel squeal is caused by metal wheel contact on metal rails? I hear this on subways all the time and always wonder why can hear in only certain locations and circumstances.
I'd like to know too. Any answers please?
where track is curved
It's the wheel flanges rubbing against the inner edge of the rail on curves. Here in the UK we have flange greasers at known bad locations, usually in built up areas where residents living near the track would be driven crazy by the constant squealing. These squirt out a little grease as the train passes to lubricate between the two metal faces. It all works fine until a greaser malfunctions and dumps everything in one go, then you end up with a train with very greasy wheels that is incredibly difficult to stop ! You'll probably also notice that the squealing is far worse in dry weather than wet - same reason - the water acts as a natural lubricant up to a point.
Help me understand something. When these helper engines are in the middle and rear of the train are the throttles linked to the lead engine or are there personnel in there to set the throttles. If they are linked how is that accomplished. Great video btw.
Helper engines are typically manned and controlled by their crew, but DPUs are in control by the engineer in the lead locomotive. Communication is done via radio. Thanks!
Thanks MBMARS for the beautiful video. You do a great job picking out the locations to shoot your video. Here comes a stupid question what was causing the high pitch sound when you filmed the trestle? I loved the EMD “ACE’S”. Another job well done I appreciate it
Cool, thank you. I guess, the noise you mean is caused by squealing wheels of the cars. The trestle is curved and the wheels are pressed against the track.
mbmars01 geez that gives me a mental image that freaks me out a bit ... but I loved that trestle
I’d love to know how much weight this train is hauling, length, hp, tractive effort, and number of axles
Mike Duross
i would like to see how much the cargo is valued vs the overhead
Noise may be deafening , but the finished product well worth it ?
Oh yes, I loved it. I have no problem with any sort of noise created by trains lol
I’d love to know how much weight this coal train is hauling, length, hp, tractive effort, and number of axles?!?
Same wtf lol 8 engines? I swear there's 300-400+ cars. No way a train under 300+ cars need 8 engines
Am the continued reader of your content
Appreciated!
Awesome video friend ;)
Many thanks!
Excellent video enjoyed a lot, thanks for sharing. Is it a fact that the helper crews get a full days pay for each train they help, even if they do do more than one per day?
Thanks! That's an interesting question, but I don't know the answer.
Mrl I enjoy
When the helpers are otw back to the station from a run ..do they cut the other three engine's off ,, an let one pull them..or is it better just to leave them all running 🕊️
That's a good question and whereas I don't know it for sure, I would think it would be quite reasonable to cut off the other engines.
I wish the train still ran through my town
Where is that spot at 20:00 Because I a, going to be heading down that way next week. And Nice Video!
Elliston, MT. Have fun out there!
Great video. Is that still part of the BNSF northern transcoon
Thanks! Well, let me dig a bit deeper in history. The line that's featured in this video was built by the Northern Pacific Railway (NP). However, the subdivisions visited in the recent videos were built by the Great Northern Railway (GN) a few years after, establishing an even "more northern" connection to the Pacific coast. Interestingly, both railroads cooperated very well with each other, even operating a third, joint railroad with access to Portland, OR (the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway). In order to make these lines "transcontinental", however, access to Chicago was needed. The link was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which also came under control of GN and NP, but these railroads were not allowed to merge until 1970. Only then, the Burlington Northern (BN) was formed and the lines we're talking about became true "Northern Transcons". The rest of the history is familiar I guess. BN and Santa Fe merged in 1996 to become what is now BNSF. So, both Northern Transcons (and the Southern Transcon) are under control of BNSF, but the former NP main line between Billings, MT and Sandpoint, ID has been operated by Montana Rail Link under lease agreement with BN/BNSF since 1987.
ok Thanks for the information
You're welcome.
@mbmars01 Are there any big Boeing planes behind the power of that train? Not sure if you're gonna see CEFX SD40M-2's on BNSF.
Yes, these were Boeing 737 fuselages.
damn, MRL don't mess around!
maybe anyone watchin this can help but wats the noises tht sound like they are hittin little bumps wats makin tht sound ik the screech is the rails but the thump noise idk
Hunt Gaming/Productions I think you are hearing the blowoff valves for the air compressors.
What cam do you use and how r u doing nowadays
Thanks, I’m doing good. I use a Panasonic WXF1 camcorder.
Stereo audio I assume
@15:55 old search lights can't beat those! (BNSF's diverging approach)
Yeah, seeing these signals was great, although I don't like them when chasing trains, because I can't see the aspect at almost all angles from the road :/
we're to used to the Vader's it's a treat to see Search Lights. I see a semaphore where I live it's been around for awhile though it's a fixed approach.
Very nice. I think we all get delighted seeing historic pieces of railroading trackside...
The echo at 15:02 is awesome
Oh I know, I loved the sound there. It was breathtaking.
Who controls the helper engines, their engineers or the engineer in the lead engine,
They sure have to coordinate their actions via radio.
Good Evening mr mars I was wondering what those green tank looking things were at 2:27? and What does mrl stand for? thank you have a blessed day
Those green things are plane fuselages (main body of the plane), presumably headed off to be made into full planes
And MRL = Montana Rail Link
thank you I appreciate you answering because I just have never seen them before.
I see your questions have already been answered :)
yea but I am glad you responded though I do not think they have helpers near the railyard thats across the river from me
No they only need them in the mountains.
Is that bridge 10:30 from year 1883?
@mbmars01 The BNSF train stops, the conductor of the current train opens the Boeing doors, I walk up to the planes behind the power, conductor closes and locks the airplane doors, the train moves, and I ride on one of the Boeing planes on flatcars and I'm trainhopping to it's final destination. Is that possible?
I hope not lol
Interesting
Were those Boeing 737 Max 8 and 737 Max 9 fuselages?
I really don't know.
I like train videos videos on CZcams 👍
Very good!
When will you go to Austell?
Some day again... not very soon, though 😕
The MRL has a 99 year lease of the property. They don’t have trackage rights on the BNSF, except from Sandpoint to Spokane. Don’t mean to be nit picky....
Hmmm. Well, I don't know it better, but like I did, the wikipedia page also claims that "Montana Rail Link trains operate between Billings, MT and Spokane, WA using trackage rights over BN successor BNSF Railway's tracks connecting those points." If that's not precisely correct, someone should update this information.
That is one thing that I miss with living here in the deep south. The sound of the locomotive horns echoing in the small valley's. One day I will be home to enjoy that again.
The sound in the mountains is great, but chasing trains in the mountains is more difficult. Wherever you railfan, there are pros and cons.
Love the awesome video
Edit: i love my best friends videos AND always will
Many, many thanks. That's cool that you like these videos :)
No problem i will always love your videos
How about a 1mill face reveal
Just find me on Facebook (Mab Mox).
Okie
thats a lot of locomotives
Wow I didn't know they transport airplane Parts on the rail. Great video bro.
Yes, they do. It's amazing. I hoped I could have seen another such train, which didn't materialize while I was there, unfortunately. Thanks!
They are not hauling those Boeing parts now. My brother lives about 20 miles from 1 of those plants .he said 1 may still be open.
I would have liked seeing them cutting the helpers in and out of the trains.
This is the kind of environment I want to try to model once I get enough money to do so
I know. I have this in mind for my model railroad layout as well.
something in a N gauge maybe i like the small trains takes up a hell of a lot less room then the old HO's in the house. But i would love to do a G outside the house .
Were is it
It's easy to find Mullan Pass (Montana) on Google Maps. One can also identify two trestles, one of which is the Skyline Trestle (the other one, more to the north, is called Greenhorn Trestle).
I love watching you videos. I am wondering why your telephoto shots are so distorted.
I don't remember ever having seen this before.Thanks.
Thanks! I don’t understand what you mean by distorted. With extreme zoom, air density fluctuations, or heat waves, cause these effects and this is simply natural.
apakah lokomotif SD70ACe masih diproduksi ?
I believe they stopped production in 2015. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong
Phantom Trains I think they are on tier 4 now or they stopped.
Just stick to your indo
reminiscent of the old D&RGW/SP lash ups
I've ridden my motorcycle across Mullan Pass (on the dirt road, not the rails :).
Cool!
That slope at the 7 minute mark looks awfully steep.
I know! It might look a bit more dramatic in the video due to optical foreshortening (the track is not only steep but also curved), though.
Your book full of trains story's
Lol, this sounds nice :)
Man...i'm jealous...that's all i'm going to say....
Nah, don't be jealous. Consider it rather an inspiration to make this experience happen for yourself. There are so many interesting places one can go to and watch trains.
That horn sounds wrong on an ACE