Belt Creek Trestle looking back towards Red Coulee Tunnel Looking east at Belt Creek Tunnel "Eagles Nest" on the Belt Creek Trestle.
This demonstrates the biggest problem with the NMD. Many places of unstable terrain. Constant maintenance required. But that cost was outweighed by the traffic money incoming, so well worth it.
The picture with the deer reminded me of the evening we took the dinner train out of Lewistown. As we were going down the line (during Hunting season) you would pass a group of hunters out in the field, pass a hill and than see a group of deer in the field, one hill away from the hunters. This scene repeated itself numerous times going down the tracks. It was quite humorous.
It looks rather disused, as there was the disastrous bridge damage two winters ago. Which that structure just recently finally been repaired. Repaired bridge photo: http://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/judith/camera.shtml
Arrow Creek Some rather unusual cars (for the CMR) location here on the siding. Formerlocation.y know as ACF F89-J Flatcar- TTX (JTTX) #601271 is now sitting on a siding at this location.
Great Pictures. I am somewhat familiar with this area but never bothered to stop and take any pictures while traveling through the area.
Just came across this thread. Fascinating, especially as my fictitious model railroad is based in the area north of Lewistown. Alan www.andersley.co.uk
Alan- Before the murder, this line was a very profitable source for the company. (Despite the ongoing, unrelenting campaign of one person in Texas, to promote a fraudulent and long ago disproven propagandized false history...) It might look a bit bleak these days, as the abandonment of the transcontinental main, and then economics of these past recent years have taken a toll. This was all a part of what was once known as the "Golden Triangle" of Montana, for the area grain crops. Officially, until 1959 this was the "Northern Montana Division". Thereafter it was simply part of the Rocky Mountain Division. Referenced in PR to the public and customers as their North Montana Lines.
Thanks for your input. Indeed this remote shortline CMR looks like very interresting. Its derelict infrastructure would be a very interresting layout theme.... Dom
Correction to my layout location, it is on the former GN route east of Lewistown Alan www.andersley.co.uk
Actually it wasn't bad until the bridge troubles. Being State owned, and a contract operator, it was kept in fair shape. Mostly it is just grass growth right now. We shall see if it picks up again. Or if BNSF has finally managed to undermine the "competition" well enough...
OK. I'd forgotten where your line was plotted. Along the route of the never finished west end of the Montana Eastern extension eastward across our State.
Does anyone know if MILW used SD40-2's on the NMD or just GP38-2's and SD7 and 9's Looking into modeling the NMD, Broadway Limited has a very nice SD40-2, I already have on Athearn version (non-sound) but wanting another loco with sound. The Athern GP38-2 looks very nice but not the detail of the BLI. Thanks for the help!
