MRL Blog

A few weeks back I discovered an old negative sheet from a Montana trip in 1989 I had not yet scanned with photos I thought some might find interesting.

First up is the Plains, MT depot after MRL put new siding on but before adding the large addition to the west end.  According to sources there is an NP depot under all that metal.  It was built in the late 1960′s.  This is the east end of the depot on the north side of the tracks the morning of 6-10-89.

East end of the Plains depot from the south side of the tracks.

Semaphores at Milepost 423 between Belknap and Childs, MT.  These are probably GN replacement blades as I believe NP had the yellow/black permissive blades here before the BN merger.

Up the hill from milepost 42 towards Highway 200 back in the woods was what I called the railroad ruins.  Funny thing is it was painted in NP depot colors.  First thought was an old freight car used as a replacement depot for Belknap or Childs and painted in NP depot colors.  Anyone have a better guess?

As mentioned, these photos were taken in 1989 and the ruins are now long gone.  Glad I thought to take photos when I did.

I went into the Cabinet Gorge overlook and photographed eastbound BN train #120 led by SD40-2′s 8071/8077/8120/6380 at 1:35 PM.

Interesting to see all the changes that have taken place in the last 21 years.

Monday September 5, 2011 was Labor Day and my last day in Montana before returning home.  Leaving St Regis it was really hazy to the east.  There was at least one forest fire burning nearby.  After checking out of the motel I headed back to Paradise and made a quick stop at the west switch.  I had yet to take a good close up view of the former NP cantilever signal here and decided today was the day.  A quick walk down the access road put me at the CTC signals. 

Of course the signals were dark as there was nothing nearby.  Then it was back to the rental car and I started west towards Plains and continued west to Eddy.  And soon I could hear activity on my scanner and it sounded like switching at Pipeline!  I was under the impression the Gas Local would not be running on the holiday.  Past the west switch I noticed a headlight off to the left and realized it was an eastbound empty coal train led by a BNSF SD70ACe.  I thought about it a moment but decided I wanted the MRL Gas Local more so kept on going.  Naturally I later found out the engineer on the empty coal was monaddave!

Coming into Pipeline I heard the MRL 4308 ask for permission to enter the main and head east, permission was granted so I knew I had lucked out.  I first checked out the power, MRL 256 was leading so it was going to be a good chase.

The light from the overpass was really bad so I decided to wait as the west switch of Woodlin as I knew I could work in an NP “prop”, the Fouling Point sign.  I had a few minutes to wait so I photographed the sign just in case it might not be here on my next visit.  You never know.

Soon the Gas Local was on the move and I got my photo at the west switch with the FP sign included.

Back shot shows the Detector at Woodlin, MP 28.

I next moved up to the S-curve at MP 18 between Eddy and Weeksville and waited for the train there.

This has always been a favorite location and I recall there being talk at one time that MRL was going to put in a line change here to do away with the sharp curves.  But it looks like those plans have been put on hold for now.I then moved on east to another favorite location at MP 14 just west of Weeksville.  Good sun angle here too.

I was planning for my last photo to be at the curves west of Plains but the sun angle was pretty much nose on so I went on into Plains and waited by the crossing near the east switch to use the ex-NP cantilever signals as a prop.  The 256 passed by here at 11:38 AM

As the skies were very hazy towards Paradise I turned back westward here to start for Idaho and on home.  But first I took a photo of the signals at East switch Plains.  Note part the spur switch has been removed and set down near the base of the signal.

Coming into Pipeline I noticed some black tank cars mixed in with the white ones.  That was unusual so I stopped for a photo.

Not much was going on as I continued west until I neared Heron and heard some chatter on my scanner to the west.  My “little black notebook” showed west end of Heron siding to be a photo goal so I headed to the west switch and saw the signals were on.  Good deal, eastbound is coming.  First I photographed the ex-NP cantilever signal at the west end of Heron.

By all rights it should not be here.  Back on 10-14-01 an eastbound freight train derailed at the west switch and a gondola came close to “removing” the cantilever signal as seen in this photo from back then.

Soon I could hear the eastbound working my way and then a headlight appeared and the H-PASKCK approached at speed passing by at 2:15 PM.

I was quickly back in the car and headed for Noxon to try for another photo making it to the west switch signals with minutes to spare.

While I was here, might as well shoot these signals as well.

I then headed east to Tuscor to wait on a second eastbound I heard was coming.  Tuscor was also listed in my “little black notebook” as a photo location I wanted.

I could hear this train coming quite a ways away.  Neat sound.  Soon I saw the headlight to the west and the M-PASLAU led by BNSF 5187 was by at 3:26 PM.

I planned to drive all the way home today so it was now time to go.  I was soon into Idaho and left the MRL at Kootenai coming into Sandpoint.  From there it was all BNSF back to Renton.  I have to say this was another successful trip to the MRL.  Saw the Fish Creek bridge close up, photographed the MRL 256 (ex-BN SD40 6317) leading the Gas Local on a day I thought it would not run, and managed to check off a few locations in my notebook, plus the weather was great!  Looking forward to my next MRL adventure which I am hoping will be in March of 2012.

If you have seen the Northern Pacific’s 1966 wall calendar, then you have seen a painting of the Fish Creek Trestle.  The calendar picture shows a trio of U25C’s led by the 2505 crossing the bridge.  From the angle I would guess the train is westbound.  There are other photos in various NP books showing different angles of Fish Creek Trestle as well.

One of my main goals this past long Labor Day weekend trip was to stop by the Fish Creek Trestle.  Some detail photos of it had been requested on the NP Telltale Yahoo group this past July and while I have a few photos, I did not have any “detail” shots of the bridge closeup.  So I made it a goal to study the bridge on a future trip and the long Labor Day weekend seemed like the best time to do it.  First some stats on the bridge.

It is located at Milepost 165 (165 miles west of Helena, MT) between Missoula and Saint Regis, MT.  Pinned down a bit more, between Cyr and Rivulet.  From I-90 eastbound you take the Fish Creek exit and follow the paved road a few miles down to the structure with brief views of the MRL below.  Just before arriving near the bridge the road turns to gravel for the rest of the way to Rivulet.  After parking there is a dirt trail along the east bank of Fish Creek up to the bridge.  The trail is difficult in places and has a fairly steep drop as well.  One must be very careful on it.  The trail branches off to various points under the bridge as it leads up to the top.  Morning appear to be the best time for photos.  I was there in the afternoon so my photos facing west were backlit.

From the NP’s Pocket Bridge List, the bridge is 576′ long and 148 high.  It was constructed in 1914 and it mostly tangent with a short 3 degree curve at the west end. 

As mentioned the east end has a steep but gradual slope from the river up to the tracks.  The west end is pretty much inaccessible from the creek unless you are into steep rock climbing.  Building it in 1914 must have been quite a chore!  Except for crossing the trails at various levels bridge goes over just Fish Creek.

Now for some photos.

It was very dry and dusty during my visit and temperatures were well into the 90′s.  Starting out from the parking area these are the first views you will have, looking up towards the west end and at the east abutment.

The bridge has three main “towers” in the center and a single support at each end before the end abutments.  This shot looks straight across at the single support at the east end of the bridge.

Further up the trail another look at easternmost abutment showing there really isn’t that much to it.  The newer MRL walkways (on both sides) is apparent as well.

Here’s a view of the easternmost of the three towers. 

The lighter colored girders were added by MRL to strengthen the towers.  Only the two towers on the east end are strengthened, the westernmost tower has no additional supports.

This photo shows the MRL “add on” girders a bit better.

Here are a few close up views of the west abutment built right into the rock face.

And finally from track level, looking west across the Fish Creek trestle.

Heading back down the hill towards the car, time for one last angle of the bridge showing the easternmost tower and the support girders. 

Before now I had given no thought about the engineering involved in constructing Fish Creek Trestle and now I am glad I took the time to get a “closer look” to see it for myself.  Seems I have managed to learn a little bit more about the NP.

Day 2 – September 4, 2011

Sunday morning was clear and sunny when I left the motel in St Regis around 07:00 heading towards Paradise.  I was hoping that the MRL’s Gas Local would be running today.  At Paradise I continued west for Pipeline and coming down the hill into Plains saw freight cars moving east. A quick turn around and the chase was on.  The train turned out to be the M-PASLAU and I missed one of the shots I had on a list of goals to photograph, a morning eastbound at Milepost 4 between Plains and Paradise from up on the highway.  The train beat me to that location pretty easily and it would have been a spectacular shot.  I passed the head end near the detector and saw a very clean Warbonnet SD75M was leading.  I waited at the east end of Paradise and watched as the train slowed down nearly coming to a stop as it took the switch to the 10th Sub.  Apparently I must have missed the track warrant for it to go over Evaro!  Still I at least did get this shot of the BNSF 8295 East coming towards the grade crossing.

While this would have been a great chase over Evaro I wanted to see if the Gas Local was at Pipeline.   Heading west again I made a quick stop at Plains and photographed the combo NP built/MRL add on depot. 

After passing Eddy and hearing nothing on the scanner I realized no MRL Gas Local today.  I went on to Thompson Falls and did see that the CTC signals were on. 

I then took a few photos of the NP oil shed, the westward CTC signal at the east switch and then the depot.  Like Plains, the Thompson Falls depot has been heavily modified since its days on the NP/BN.

I then went back to the grade crossing to wait on the train which arrived less than 15 minutes later at 10:28.

The empty coal train got a good head start on me out of Thompson Falls but I was ahead of it by Eddy.  The 5772 didn’t really excite me a whole lot so I went on to Plains to check out the area around Milepost 4.  I found a road down to some houses and a new location I had not seen before.  Plus the sun angle here was still pretty good for getting close to noon.  Soon I heard the train blowing for the grade crossings in Plains and in short time it came around the curves at Milepost 4.

Like the earlier eastbound the coal empty was headed for the 10th Sub and Evaro Hill after getting a track warrant.  It slowed way down by the depot so I was easily able to get another shot of it at Paradise.

With the empty coal train headed for Evaro I went on towards St Regis after it cleared the crossing and then east on I-90 to Superior to the Fish Creek exit to check out the trestle.  I arrived during the 1 o’clock hour and did quite a bit of hiking around the west end of the bridge getting lots of photos I will show in a separate Blog update.  I found it was a pretty neat structure!  But it was getting rather warm out for hiking (into the 90′s) so I decided to leave and head east towards Missoula.  A short time later I was on the frontage road near Cyr and heard the detector at Lothrup go off so I knew a westbound was coming.  The sun angle here was pretty bad so I went on towards Plateau Tunnel figuring the sun would be more favorable there.  I was correct but the tree shadows over the tracks were getting pretty bad at the west portal.  There was a nice opening near the grade crossing so I waited there.  I could hear the sounds of an approaching train and soon it blew its horn for the grade crossing at Plateau.  By the horn I knew it wasn’t a GEVO and saw a flash of creme and green at the other end of the tunnel before it entered the darkness.  I was very pleased with what came out the west end at 13:45.

I knew this coal train was one I would like to chase west a ways! 

A few minutes later BNSF DPU 6088 came out of the tunnel.  I noticed the haze from nearly forest fires was beginning to be more noticeable now too.

I then went west to Superior but decided to move on when I saw how bad the sun angles were for westbounds.  An eastbound would have looked much better.  I got off I-90 at Spring Gulch and took the frontage road down towards MP 192 where the old semaphores once stood.

The wait was short and soon I could see the BNSF 9798 coming towards me.  I was pretty happy with the photo location too.

Then it was over the hill and down to St Regis.  I arrived about the same time as the 9798 but the coal train got a good jump on me out of St Regis.  Once I was by the 70 MPH signs I quickly passed the coal train and driving by the east switch of Toole noticed the signals were lined up for the westbound to enter the siding.  At the west end of Toole I pulled off the highway behind another car and was soon talking to a friend of Justin Franz, Daves nephew.  This fellow had been following the 9798 west from Missoula.  He told me there were two more westbounds lined up to leave Missoula, a coal train and a general merchandise.  He said it was the H-PASKCK that was coming east and that it was just out of Paradise.

The location we were at was the overlook at MP 203 and this spot was also on my list of locations I wanted to photograph so with the approaching eastbound I should soon be able to check it off.  At 3:27 PM the BNSF 682 led the H-PASKCK towards Toole.

Now it was decision time.  Chase the Warbonnet or stick with the SD70MAC heading west?  Probably the wrong choice but I was thinking of those two other westbounds coming so took off east after the H-PASKCK.  I could not find any decent locations for an eastbound in the afternoon east of St Regis so I settled on the overpass just east of Superior since I had never photographed anything here before.

I took my time getting to Westfall and sure enough heard a westbound at Rivulet call the eastbound for location.  After the meet I waited and was disappointed to see another westbound coal train led by a GEVO with a burnt out ditchlight.  I decided to stay and wait for the other westbound.  I waited a long time and it never did show up.  But I did hear the MRL 4308 West get a track warrant to Paradise from Desmet via the 10th Sub.  So the Night Gas was running but not the Day Gas?  Well, I decided this could be the only MRL led train I see this trip so I got back on I-90 and went to St Regis and then Paradise heading east along the Flathead River towards Perma and west of Dixon I pulled over to wait.  It should be getting close I reasoned.  Sure enough I soon heard the detector at MP 33 letting me know the train was on its way.  The sun was quickly setting and shadows were getting long.  The sun was low and the haze in the background but I did photograph the Gas Local at least.  Leading were the 4308/256.  The first shot is between Perma and Dixon.

The long shadows were working towards the tracks and this spot just east of Perma will be the last on this side of the river.

West of Perma the tracks cross the Flathead River and the shadows had not reached this far yet, though they were getting close.

I found the comparison of the SD70ACe and SD40-2XR to be interesting.  The SD70ACe is so much larger!  From this point on the shadows were over the tracks the rest of the way to Paradise so I let the 4308 go here and headed back to St Regis.

At St Regis I had dinner and did some shopping for gifts at the St Regis Travel Center (I never tire of watching the fish exhibit either) before heading to the motel for the night.

Not a bad day really, the 8295 and 9798 were both good catches and I did get the Gas Local too.

Day 1 – Sep 3, 2011

On Saturday 9-3-11 I was MRL bound for a long 3 day weekend of photographing the MRL west of Missoula.  Goals for this trip were the MRL Gas Local and getting detail photos of the Fish Creek Bridge between Rivulet and Cyr.

I spent a good part of morning and early afternoon photographing trains on the Funnel and once past Sandpoint, ID I was soon headed out ID 200 following the MRL past Kootenai. Just east of the siding I heard a detector at MP 98 go off. A new detector it would seem as this milepost is just east of Hope, ID. So I turned back towards Kootenai and waited for the westbound to show up near the old yard.  MRL has some interesting stuff stored at Kootenai including an F-unit which is ex-VIA 6311 and something from Loram. 

After a very short wait a westbound BNSF coal train led by BNSF 5754 rounded the curve and rolled by.  For some NP content I worked this old NP switch stand into the shot.

I then moved down towards the F-unit and worked it into a shot of the coal trains DPU’s.

Back shot has the DPU’s slowing to a stop as the head end is facing a red signal at Sandpoint Jct. 

I found the 3 unit Loram set quite interesting looking and am still not sure what it is used for.

Then I took a closer look at the F-unit.  The thought is that’s the big Canadian style winterization hatch bulging out of the roof.  It looks to have been unbolted and is laying at an angle on the roof.

I left Kootenai and was on my way east again only to hear the MRL detector near Heron go off meaning another westbound was coming.

It was another loaded coal train and this location is between Clark Fork and Hope, ID in the Denton Slough area.

Once that train was by I wasn’t interrupted by any other trains until Plains, MT where I saw the MRL Gas Local go by behind MRL SD40′s 251/256 for Pipeline. The sun had long gone down so no photos but I was counting on seeing the Day Gas the next morning. I later got to St Regis and checked into the Super 8 for the night.

While passing through Hope, ID on 9-3-11 I stopped near the east switch to photograph the westbound signal for the east switch.

Something about it looked different.  Later after getting home I processed the photo and compared it to one taken back in 2008.

Yes, it was different, the signal had been moved east of the grade crossing.  Not sure why unless crews were having a difficult time seeing the signal coming around the curve.

In May of 2011 MRL sent a large number of retired locomotives to Portland, OR to be scrapped and I wrote a Blog update about that move last July here:

http://mrlblog.qstation.org/?p=850

I have decided to write a tribute to the group of seven SD45-2′s that left the MRL early in 2011 before the larger May group went to scrap. 

This first group was sent west to Portland in February 2011.  The “unlucky-seven” were the 302, 303, 304, 308, 310, 313 and 314.  All have true SD45-2 carbodies with the exception of the 314 which was built as a former SP SD45.

The 302, 303, 304, and 308 were built for the Clinchfield Railroad which later as part of the “Family Lines” was merged into the Seaboard System which lasted just a few years before SBD was merged with Chessie System in 1986 to become the CSX System. A few years later they were retired from CSX and acquired by MRL in Mid-1989.

The 313 is former SCL SD45-2 2056 and was on the roster of CSX until it too was retired and was purchased by MRL in April 1993.  And finally the 310 is one of four former Santa Fe SD45-2′s picked up by MRL in 1992.

Some years back Athearn produced an MRL SD45-2 in HO and I purchased the one numbered 304 as I had photographed it a number of times so it was a favorite of mine. 

After years of working in helper service on Mullan and Bozeman Pass some of the SD45-2′s ended up on locals and work trains in addition to the helper sets.  By February of 2011 many were in storage at Livingston and word went out they were being gathered up and readied to head west one last time.  The MRL Yahoo group followed the group of 6 west in this thread: 

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MRL/message/14914

All but the 308 left Livingston around February 7 and made their way to Pasco where Richard Olsen caught them at Finley just west of Pasco 2-11-11 on their way to Portland.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=64617

SD45-2 308 did not make it to Pasco until 2-26-11 when it was added to a train headed west towards Portland, OR arriving there a day or two later.  By now I would think all seven locomotives have been scrapped or will be soon.  There probably isn’t much of a market for used SD45-2′s these days.

Here is a brief history of each of these seven locomotives and some photos of each will follow.

MRL 302 built as CRR 3618 2/74, later SBD 8976, CSX 8976
MRL 303 built as CRR 3619 2/74, later SBD 8977, CSX 8977
MRL 304 built as CRR 3620 2/74, later SBD 8978, CSX 8978
MRL 308 built as CRR 3624 2/74, later SBD 8982, CSX 8982

MRL 310 built as ATSF 5707 5/74, to MRL 5707 before MRL 308

MRL 313 built as SCL 2056 9/74, later SBD 8956, CSX 8956

MRL 314 built as SP 9051 3/69, later SP 7540, to MRL 7540 before becoming MRL 314.

Of these seven, MRL 302 is the one I never photographed.  Luckily other people did photograph the 302.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/Locopicture.aspx?id=16340

But I did get the chance to photograph all of the others. 

I managed to catch the MRL 303 numerous times leading freights and once in work train service.

Here the MRL 303 is part of a helper set on Mullan Pass 9-19-93.

Leading a BNSF freight west into Rathdrum, ID on 11-1-03.

And in work train service at Manhattan, MT 7-12-07

Even in work train service the 303 was a proud looking locomotive in my opinion!

MRL 304 was my favorite of the seven.  It just looks good here leading the #840 local as it charges west out of Louisville, MT for Helena.

MRL 308 is shown here in the locomotive consist of a BN train headed east on the MRL 5-30-92 at Tuscor, MT.

On 9-18-93 the 308 led four Union Pacific SD40-2′s on a loaded grain train out of Mullan Tunnel.

On a cold wintry (and very snowy) 12-13-03 the former Santa Fe SD45-2, MRL 310 led a BNSF eastbound across the MRL just east of Thompson Falls, MT at Pipeline and again at Weeksville.

On a short term lease to BN, MRL 313 the former SCL unit arrives at Seattle’s Interbay yard on 6-20-94.

And lastly, the ex-SP SD45, as MRL 314 is shown here in helper service over Bozeman Pass on a cloudy 12-15-07.

Now MRL has only a few true SD45-2′s remaining on their roster, the 301 and 311, both in the newest MRL scheme.  All of the other SD45-2′s are now history.

Trident, MT is located on the former Northern Pacific main line across Montana at milepost 170 .  For comparison Livingston, MT to the east is MP 115 and Helena MT to the west is at MP 238.  The scenic Missouri Headwaters state park is also located nearby.

The Trident, MT depot built by the Northern Pacific in 1911 is very unique looking, being constructed mostly from concrete, and is said to be a tribute of sorts to the nearby cement manufacturing plant that supplied a lot a business for the railroad.  When built this plant was called the Three Forks Portland Cement Co.  The depot had a fortress like appearance with crenelations at all four corners.  According to NP Place names on the NP Telltale Yahoo group and written by JPIII  the name Trident comes from two possible sources.  The cement companys brand was Red Devil with a three-pronged fork, meaning trident. 

And about three-quarters of a mile above the town are the three forks of the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers coming together to form the Missouri River, hence a trident. 

http://www.tfhistory.org/history%20Trident%2001.html

Today the cement plant built in 1908 is still in operation and is called the Holcim-Trident Cement Plant after changing ownership a number of times.  The Belgrade News had an interesting story about Trident and its cement plant from last year worth reading:

http://www.belgrade-news.com/features/article_9eab853c-c796-11df-a3f3-001cc4c03286.html 

MRL maintenance crews based out of the Trident depot were in the process of being moved to Logan, MT during 2010 and the depot was no longer going to be needed by the railroad.  Considered a liability it was looking like the depot was going to be razed as equipment was actually brought in during June 2010 to tear it down but MRL put a hold on those plans at the last minute after some 11th hour phone calls and decided to wait and see if someone was willing to preserve the depot and move it off MRL property.  So the depot was in temporary limbo.

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_b7356e8e-80b9-11df-85c4-001cc4c03286.html 

I only had a few poor quality photos of the depot, this one taken from the Montana Rockies passenger train on 8-17-96

And this shadowed shot taken on 7-11-07.

But both those photos were taken from the west end, the end that was cut back by MRL to store their trucks inside so I was determined to go back to Montana and get as many photos of it as I could from the track side and east end.  I’d had plans to go to the July 2010 NPRHA Convention in Spokane for 5 days but changed those plans to go to Trident instead at pretty much the last minute.  My feeling was I had a second chance to get photos of the depot, it had been that close to being torn down.

After some research I learned mornings appeared to be the best time to photograph the Trident depot for the sun angles so I set aside Friday and Saturday morning 7-16 and 7-17 to be in Trident.  After spending Thursday night at Helena I was off to Trident Friday morning and it was a perfect sunny morning.  I chased the MRL’s 840 local out of Helena to Townsend and was off to Trident.  Arriving at Trident I was disappointed to find cement cars sitting on the siding in front of the depot.  That didn’t stop me from getting photos though.  I took mostly close up and detail shots.

A short while later the MRL #840 local arrived and to my surprise moved those blocking rail cars off the siding and out of the way!

Now the depot was wide open for photos though the sun angle was not as good as it was earlier.  But I got all the shots I wanted!  Here is a small selection.

I knew I had the next morning to return for more photos so I left Trident and made my way to Bozeman to photograph some trains there.  That night I was back in Helena, MT and ready for the Saturday morning drive to Trident.

It was another beautiful morning on Saturday July 17, 2010 and I got an early start for Trident to get some more photos.  There was no 840 local today so it was straight to Trident.  I arrived and found no cars blocking the depot but there were some tree shadows over the tracks near the depot.  I decided to wait awhile for my photos and let them move off the tracks so I drove over to Missouri Headwaters state park and had some cereal for breakfast.  It was so quiet and peaceful as there was no one else here but me this time of morning.  I walked around the park a bit and then drove back to Trident for more depot photos and I took a lot!

And of course the trip would not have been complete without a photo of me and the Trident depot.  I sure do look small compared to the depot!

I took a few more photos and soon heard an eastbound on the scanner approaching Trident so I left for Logan to photograph it there but noticed a westbound was already at Logan waiting for it.  I really wanted a photo of that westbound passing the depot knowing the sun angle would be really nice.  I got the shot but wish I had taken it a few seconds sooner to show more of the depot but at least one of the crenelations shows making it well known where this photo was taken.

I then headed west back to Helena and in a few days was back at home.  Now it was a waiting game to see what was going to happen with the depot. 

On March 14, 2011 it was announced that the Three Forks Historical Society had saved the building and it was going to be relocated to Three Forks.

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_b9f7b67a-4dca-11e0-9f8f-001cc4c03286.html

The early plan was to move it in June 2011 but those plans were put on hold a month and on July 27, 2011 moving day came.

http://www.belgrade-news.com/news/collection_59a6bc88-ba00-11e0-8081-001cc4c002e0.html

Somehow I just can’t picture driving back into Trident, MT and finding it without the depot.  While it is great the depot was not torn down, the town (or whats left of it!) will never be the same.

I am sure however that on my next road trip that takes me through Three Forks, MT I will stop by and take a look at that former NP depot, and recall the summer of 2010.

Back in May 2011 MRL gathered up 17 locomotives from the storage lines at Livingston, MT and sent them west to Portland, OR for scrapping.  The MRL Yahoo list reported on the slow progress of the train leaving Livingston to its arrival at Spokane, WA on May 30, 2011.  Leading the locomotive train from Livingston to Missoula were SD45′s 328/327 and from Missoula to Spokane it was the 328 solo arriving at Spokane Sunday Morning 5-29-11.

The train left Spokane Monday morning 5-30-11 behind BNSF 606/BNSF 6134 for Pasco arriving there late in the afternoon.  Richard Olson caught the train at Pasco and posted a number of photos on RR Picture Archives which can be found here:

http://raolson.rrpicturearchives.net/archivethumbs.aspx?id=68267

He also listed the 17 MRL locomotives in order.  They were the 218/602/225/125/200/215/309/306/604/307/126/204/606/211/114/214/111

The train then left Pasco overnight arriving in Portland’s Lake Yard Tuesday morning 5-31-11 to be taken two or three at a time to Schnitzer Steel.

Here is a by model break down of the 17 locomotives and their heritage with photos:

MRL 111  GP9  ex-BN 1717/NP 269

MRL 114  GP9  ex-BN 1731/NP 293

MRL 125  GP9  ex-BN 1946/NP 367

MRL 126  GP9  ex-BN 1732/NP 294

MRL 200  SD40  ex-BN 6341/C&S 881

MRL 204  SD40  ex-BN 6347/C&S 887

MRL 211  SD40  ex-BN 6308

MRL 214  SD40  ex-BN 6316

MRL 215  SD40  ex-BN 6320

MRL 218  SD40  ex-BN 6345/C&S 885

MRL 225  SD40  ex-CNW 929/CGW 409

MRL 306  SD45-2  ex-CSX 8980/CRR 3622

MRL 307  SD45-2  ex-CSX 8981/CRR 3623

MRL 308  SD45-2  ex-CSX 8982/CRR 3624

MRL 309  SD45-2  ex-ATSF 5705

MRL 602  SD9  ex-EJE 603/DMIR 105

I have no photo of MRL 602 but a photo of the 602 can be found here by Robert W Thomson:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2992236994_9e0dbf2c1b_b.jpg

MRL 604  SD9  ex-EJE 605/DMIR 108

MRL 606  SD9  ex-SP 4316/SP 5347

17 locomotives was a large chunk of MRL’s roster to leave at one time.  A bit more variety has been lost.

In July of 2010 I made a trip to the MRL with the main goal of photographing the ex-NP Trident, MT depot after learning MRL had plans to remove it. 

I was able to get the photographs I wanted of the depot and after following the #840 local to Logan the first day, Friday 7-16-10 looked at the water tower and decided to photograph it as well.  You never know how long anything will last.

Here the local with MRL 256/252 enters the yard at Logan as the water tower stands to the right.

After the train had cleared I took a photo of the water tower looking across the tracks.

I then drove over to the water tower for a closer view.  I was looking at NP history and I decided I should take some more photographs before leaving.

Also of interest to me was the “stickwork” supporting it, though I’m guessing that it’s actually all metal supports holding the tank up.

I then left and up to now haven’t given the water tank much more thought since. Until this morning that is.

Word came out Wednesday 3-30-11 that the water tank is being dismantled.  In fact, from a photo taken yesterday the tank is pretty much already gone.  The Belgrade News website had an article about it worth reading.

http://www.belgrade-news.com/mobile/article_5812020a-59ad-11e0-a2a3-001cc4c002e0.html

It was interesting to know it is over 100 years old and has not held any water for three years, as it leaks!  Plus it sounds as if the pipes are all clogged up as well.

I knew that the Trident depot was on borrowed time when I went back to Montana last July but learning it has outlasted the water tower at Logan is kind of a surprise.  That water tower has always been such a landmark over the years.  One thing is for certain.  Logan isn’t going to be the same any more.