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hunter1828 — Into Bozeman Pass Tunnel
Published: 2008-03-10 04:11:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 837; Favourites: 21; Downloads: 17
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Description
It looks like the train is exiting the tunnel, but these are helpers that are pushing the train over Bozeman Pass. I caught them just before they vanished into the tunnel.It's a loaded and long BNSF unit grain train on the MRL main. In the lead was BNSF ES44DC 7707, Dash 9 4702 and MRL SD45R 327. The three pushers you see here are BNSF Dash 9 4789, MRL SD70ACe 4312 & SD70ACe 4314.
The MRL 70ACes hitch a ride on down the other side of the mountain to a BNSF mixed freight waiting at Bozeman that needed help getting over the pass to Livingston.
Canon EOS 350D Digital Rebel XT
Tamron 75-300mm lens
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Comments: 17
I am so glad to see that this piece of railroad history still exists. Didn't this line come close to abandonment at one point? (Nice shot BTW!)
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There was some talk in the early 80s of abandoning it, but after Montana Rail Link was created and took ownership of the line it's been quite productive. In addition to two daily Laurel-Missoula MRL manifests, there are 5 or more BNSF trains each day (some days many more). BN/BNSF didn't want the headache of the upkeep on the line, but since MRL has it they sure make use of it.
MRL has abandoned part of the line, though. The line from Logan, MT through Three Forks and over to Butte is abandoned from Whitehall, MT to Butte. That section is the old Pipestone Pass route (Milwaukee Road also crossed Pipestone pass just north of where NP did). I've got shots coming up soon of one of the old MILW bridges at Pipestone Pass and one of the old NP bridges further down towards Butte. I did read that the NP line over Pipestone Pass is still owned by MRL and the track is still in place, but MRL has no plans to ever use it again.
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When I look at pictures like this I am fascinated by the engineering. I think of those very first surveying crews who had the job to figure out 'well do we go this way or that way'. 'No, let's just cut right thru!!' wow.
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And the railroad accountant 100s of miles away that said, "It'll cost HOW MUCH?"
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That's pretty standard on this route. Some loaded trains need six helpers. It's the grade that's impressive - 1.9% grade westbound, 1.8% grade eastbound.
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Over here three engines at all on a train are quite rare. Six helpers? Wow.
I wonder whether they could reduce operating costs by electrification. Seems to work well here.
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Most modern diesel-electrics are pretty fuel effecient, especially the new EMD SD70ACes and the GE Evolution Series. With the cost of copper wiring necessary for stringing cantenary lines the total cost of electrification would probably end up costing about the same as diesel fuel anyway. Besides, the US railroads experimented with electrification of mainlines in the early 20th Century and again in the 1970s.
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Yeah. I always look on this with a european perspective, and everything major is electrified here, so I'm always wondering why this isn't the case in the US. But of course the rail lines are much longer and changing locomotives isn't a lot of fun, so electrifying only certain sections isn't useful either.
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