A grey day on the Moffat subdivision. A BNSF run through headed by BNSF 7656 (ES44DC) at Crescent, CO.

Amtrak #5 the "California Zephyr" passing the Gross Canyon Dam on the Moffat Sub. having lost ablou an hour since leaving Denver on time.

BNSF 6083 (ES44AC) and BNSF 9541 (SD70MAC) leaving Tunnel 1 on the approach to Guernsey, Wy. Seems surprising that after all the investment in multi-track main lines in the Powder River, all trains heading via Guerney use this single track line with these fragile looking tunnels.

BNSF 9821 and 9558 (SD70MACs) in the Grinstein Green colours heading an empty coal train through the former site of the town of Wendover WY, alongside the North Platte River.

Who said the road to paradise was easy......

BNSF 6142 (ES44AC) and 8922 (SD70MAC) with loaded coal at West Elkhorn, near Glendo, WY heading south on the Front Range Subdivision.

BNSF 9317 (SD70ACe) and leased CEFX 1014 (AC4400CW) lead a loaded coal train south through Glendo between the Powder River coalfields and Guernsey Wy.

BNSF 9374 and 9149 (both SD70ACe) at West Elkhorn with a loaded coal heading south.

BNSF 9296 (SD70ACe) and 9745(SD70MAC), a fairly common locotype pairing with the newer EMD on the front, heading south at Walker Creek Road ,north of Douglas, Wy

Former Chicago & North Western AC4400CW, now UP 6726 with UP 5714 at Walker Creek Road on the Orin Sub with a loaded train from the Powder River.

BNSF 5669 (AC4400CW) and 5729 (AC4400EV) headed north at Flat Top Road, near Bill, WY with coal empties for the Powder River mines.

UP 6665 (AC4400CW) and former SP 312, now UP 6359 (AC4400CW) headed north at Flat Top Road, near Bill, WY with coal empties for the Powder River mines.

BNSF 6430 (ES44AC) and 9590 (SD70MAC) (still in the Grinstein Green colour scheme) headed north at Flat Top Road, near Bill, WY with coal empties for the Powder River mines.

UP 5707 (AC4400CW) and 6317 (a former SP AC4400CW- which rarely seem to lead) reach the summit of Logan Hill with a loaded coal headed east.

BNSF 6144 and 6053 (both ES44AC) with loaded coal climbing Logan Hill, the ruling gradient for southbound loads on the Orin Sub. This has overtaken a UP train on the next track struggling up at below 5mph.

UP 7055 (was an AC6000CW, but probably rebuilt as an AC4400CW) and 5732 (AC4400CW) working as the DPU units on an empty coal at the summit of Logan Hill.

BNSF 9146 (SD70ACe) and 5636 (AC4400CW) with coal empties at Logan Hill, near Bill, WY on the Orin Sub.

BNSF 9241 (SD70ACe) and 9504 (SD70MAC) (still in the Grinstein Green colour scheme) in the last light drag a loaded coal over the summit of Logan Hill, near Bill, WY on the Orin Sub. This has overtaken a UP train on the next track, which never made it to the top in daylight.

BNSF 8901 and 9404 (still in the Grinstein Green colour scheme) (both SD70MAC) working as helpers on a loaded coal over the summit of Logan Hill, near Bill, WY on the Orin Sub.

BNSF 9375 and 9164 (both SD70Ace) with loaded coal cross Lightening Creek, near Bill, WY heading south on the Orin Subdivision.

BNSF 9375 and 9164, (both SD70Ace) are seen headed south at Lightening Creek

UP 6665 and 6359 (AC4400CW), now loaded are seen the next day headed south ( railroad east) at Lightening Creek.

UP5777 and 6541 (both AC4400CW) passing the car repair facility yard south of Bill, WY with loaded coal.

PRSX 408 (former Iowa Interstate 408, previously BN 1404, originally GN 604) a rebuilt GP7 working the freight car facility south of Bill, WY.

UP5913 and 5808 (both AC4400CW) passing the car repair facility yard south of Bill, WY with loaded coal.

UP 6021 and 7136 (both AC4400CW) pass the coal car maintenance facility south of Bill, WY with coal load from the Powder River mines.

BNSF 5685 and leased CEFX 1017 (both AC4400CW) with empty coal returning to the Powder River on the Black Hills Sub. passing Upton, WY.

BNSF 6182 and 5687 passing Upton, WY (self proclaimed “The Best Place on Earth”!!) with a loaded coal heading east on the Black Hills Sub.

BNSF 5949 and 6034( both AC4400CW) heading north out of the Powder River coalfield approaching Donkey Creek Junction.

BNSF 6248 and 6049( both AC4400CW) heading south from Donkey Creek Junction onto the Orin Sub. to the Powder River coalfield.

BNSF 9966 (SD70MAC) and 5703 (AC4400CW) heading north out of the Powder River coalfield approaching Donkey Creek Junction in the fading evening Wyoming light.

BNSF 9257 (SD70ACe) and 9953( SD70MAC) passing Brunsen Road Crossing near Donkey Creek Junction.

BNSF 9398 (SD70ACe), 5694(AC4400CW) and 9486 (SD70MAC)approaching Donkey Creek Junction, near Gillette, WY in the very last light of the day.

BNSF 5782 and 5946( both AC4400CW) at Donkey Creek Junction, near Gillette, WY

BNSF 9225 (SD70ACe) and 5682(AC4400CW) climbing away from Donkey Creek Junction, near Gillette, WY

BNSF 9228 (SD70ACe) and 8906 (SD70MAC) heading east from Rozet across the high plains of northern Wyoming on the Black Hills sub heading for Crawford Hill and Alliance.

BNSF 9271 (SD70ACe) and 9458 (SD70MAC) heading north from Gillette across the high plains of northern Wyoming on the Big Horn sub heading from Sheridan and points north, east and west.

BNSF 9271 (SD70ACe) and 9458 (SD70MAC) heading north on the Big Horn Sub between Gillette and Sheridan, Wy.

BNSF 5209, 4779, 9352 and 9993 heading north on the Big Horn Sub between Gillette and Sheridan.

BNSF 9271 (SD70ACe) and 9458 (SD70MAC) seen again at Clearwater south of Sheridan, WY

BNSF 4535 and 4815 (both C44-9W) on the Big Horn Sub near Ulm, Wy with a southbound manifest freight.

BNSF 9271 (SD70ACe) and 9458 (SD70MAC) heading north from Gillette alongside County “Road” 48 near Ulm, Wyoming.

BNSF 9834 and 8953 (both SD70MAC) working as a set of helpers at Sheridan, WY return to base after banking a freight westwars on the Big Horn Sub. There are at least three sets of helpers based here.

BNSF 5209, 4779, 9352 and 9993 at Sheridan, Wy heading west.

BNSF 9225 (SD70ACe) and 5682 (AC4400CW) headed west on the Big Horn Sub, near Little Big Horn and the site of the Custer Battlefield at Garryowen, Mt.

BNSF 626 (still in ATSF Warbonnet) (C44-9W) with 5165, 5269, 5998, 9785 and 9999 with a unit grain train to the east of Laurel, MT, on Montana Rail Link.

BNSF 9271 (SD70ACe) and 9458 (SD70MAC) on the climb up Bozeman Pass from Livingston, Mt on Montana Rail Link

As well as washed out roads we had a total flat tyre on the first car we had around 20miles up some dirt road north of Gillette. It was quite a job changing the wheel so I was too annoyed to fot that experience. We ordered a new tyre, seen here on delivery. We then changed the car at Billings International Airport to a much better one, a Hyundai Santa Fe - good name for a car too. Now sell the Saab and buy a Hyundai...

Two MRL helper sets of SD70ACe locomotives awaiting their next call alongside the maintenance shop in Livingston, Mt

BNSF 5477, 4128 and 4898 (all C44-9CW) heading east with an empty unit grain train at Geycliffe, Mt in the Yellowstone valley between Livingston and Laurel, Mt.

MRL 4312, 4314 and 4315 (SD70Ace) forming the mid train helper set for this westbound loaded unit grain train bring the back section of the train into Livingston to couple back up to the front part before the ascent of Bozeman Pass.

BNSF 5428 and 4925 with train QTACDEN (Priority Tacoma- Denver) on the descent of the eastern side of Bozeman Pass heading for Livingston.

BNSF 5381 (C44-9CW), 7424(ES44DC) and 5389(C44-9CW) descending Bozeman pass heading for Livingston with a BNSF general freight runthrough on MRL.

BNSF 4869, 4859 and 1114 (all C44-9CW) approaching the Bozeman Tunnel at Westend.

BNSF 5178 (C44-9CW), 7605 (ES44DC), 5483 (C44-9CW) and 5635 (AC4400CW) descending Bozeman pass heading for Livingston with a BNSF general freight runthrough on MRL, thought to be Pasco-Laurel.

BNSF 7415 (ES44DC), 4730 (C44-9CW) and 7661 (ES44DC) descending Bozeman pass heading for Livingston with an empty unit grain train passing Timber Creek Road.

Across the Missouri River at Trident, Montana can be seen the remains of the Milwaukee Road Western Extension, and if you look carefully the wooden electrification masts can be seen in various states of collapse. Abandoned in 1980, the wires came down in 1974 over 656 miles in two sections. This was the first transcontinental abandonement.

MRL 332, (SD45-2, a long way from its original owner Erie Lackawanna) 259 and 250 (both rebuilt ex BN SD40-2s) with an eastbound freight head into Lombard Canyon on the Missouri River to the south of Toston, Mt. This was about as far as I was going on the “road” after the problems a few days earlier, but maybe next time its over the top to Lombard and the former Milwaukee Road crossing of the River.

A Mullan pass helper set of four SD70ACe locos, MRL 4301,4310,4306 and 4302 (17,200hp!) descending the pass returning to Helena, MT.

BNSF6622 (an ES44C4 – built with A1A-A1A trucks) and 4624 (C44-9CW) near Elliston, Mt on the western climb to Mullan Pass.

BBNSF 5046(C44-9CW), 7633 (ES44DC) and 5196(C44-9CW) near Elliston, Mt on the western climb to Mullan Pass, running 6 minutes behind the previous train. A busy Sunday in Montana. (Now for that GreenCard…)

MRL 4306, 331 work the “Night Gas” local from Missoula to Thompson Falls with MRL 127 and 113 in the consist for the working of the Paradise Local the following week. Somewhere near Evaro, north of Missoula.

MRL 4306, 331 work the “Night Gas” local from Missoula to Thompson Falls with MRL 127 and 113 in the consist for the working of the Paradise Local the following week. Somewhere along the Jocko River Valley between Ravalli and Dixon on the 10th subdivision.

MRL 4306, 331 work the “Night Gas” local from Missoula to Thompson Falls with MRL 127 and 113 in the consist for the working of the Paradise Local the following week. Somewhere along the Jocko River Valley between Ravalli and Dixon. on the 10th subdivision.

Who needs purpose built "factory trains" for overhead work. When its for profit, get the Heath Robinson book from the library for inspiration and off you go.

Access to Mullan Tunnel was restricted due to the work being done, seen here at Blossburg.

The former Milwaukee Road station building in Missoula Montana. A place for a railroad pilgrammage?

BNSF 4798, 5404 and 1066 (all C44-9W) at MP217 on the MRL 4th Sub between Paradise and St Regis, Mt.with a BNSF runthrough.

MRL 113 and 127 (both GP9) crossing the Clark Fork River leaving Paradise MT, with the Paradise Local to St Regis.

Destination: Paradise, Montana. Home of the daily MRL Paradise local, and not a lot else - other than a rather dodgy looking cafe!

MRL382 (a former Seaboard Coast Line SD45) and 4308 (SD70ACe) work the returning “Day Gas” eastbound alongside the Flathead River near Perma, Mt on the MRL 10th Subdivision.

MRL382 (a former Seaboard Coast Line SD45) and 4308 (SD70ACe) work the returning “Day Gas” eastbound alongside the Flathead River near Perma, Mt on the MRL 10th Subdivision.

MRL382 (a former Seaboard Coast Line SD45) and 4308 (SD70ACe) work the returning “Day Gas” eastbound in the Flathead River near Perma, Mt on the MRL 10th Subdivision.

MRL382 (a former Seaboard Coast Line SD45) and 4308 (SD70ACe) work the returning “Day Gas” eastbound past Dixon, Mt on the MRL 10th Subdivision.

BNSF 8920 and 8988 (both SD70MAC) with an empty coal train taking the 10th Sub east from Paradise, Mt to head for Missoula over Evaro Hill. The 10th is usually (we think) only used by the Gas Locals. The MRL 4th Sub between Paradise and Missoula via St Regis is the main line here.

BNSF 8920 and 8988 (both SD70MAC) with an empty coal train taking the 10th Sub east from Paradise, Mt. Seen here in the Flathead River valley.

BNSF 8920 and 8988 (both SD70MAC) with an empty coal train taking the 10th Sub east from Paradise, Mt. Seen here in the Flathead River valley.

BNSF 1114 (C44-9CW in the original GN inspired BNSF paint scheme), and 4859 (C44-9CW) on a BNSF runthrough over MRL near Thompson Falls Mt.

MRL 113 and 127 (both rebuilt GP7) working the lumber yard at Thompson Falls, Mt on the Paradise Local before returning light this afternoon to Paradise.

BNSF 5932 and 5838 (both ES44AC) head west over MRL with a loaded coal train near Thompson Falls, Mt.

An F45 repainted as GN 441. Loco history not currently known. Preserved at Essex, Mt. Apparently its been converted to a hotel room. (Now there’s a novel experience awaiting a true diesel fan….)

BNSF 4123 (C44-9CW), 7206 (ES44DC) and 799 (C44-9CW) headed east with an empty grain train passing Summit on the Marias Pass.

BNSF 4123 (C44-9CW), 7206 (ES44DC) and 799 (C44-9CW) headed east with an empty grain train passing Summit on the Marias Pass.

BNSF 4092 (C44-9CW), 7203 (ES44DC) with a Herzog ballast train at West Bison, Mt

Amtrak's #8 "The Empire Builder" passing East Glacier on its long haul to Chicago. AMTK 50 and 167 at the head end.

BNSF 4092 (C44-9CW), 7203 (ES44DC) with a Herzog ballast train at East Glacier, Mt. That was it for the day on Marias Pass for the day with an engineering possession announced through 5pm - two freights and Amtrak! Off for lunch and Glacier National Park (the culture of the trip) and then on to Canada……