I have recently sparked an interest in MRL since I model late Burlington Northern / early BNSF. There have been a few locos made as well as some rolling stock. I would like to see what everyone has and if you are interchanging with other railroads.
(4) Facebook This is the club page.......you'll have to dig a little, but we are right on the MRL mainline (Bozeman), so everyone has MRL stuff.
MRL is mostly a bridge route to help increase the unit train traffic for BNSF, so a big percentage of traffic has BNSF power and will be coal or grain......around here most of them will have MRL helpers to get over the pass between Livingston and Bozeman. But there ARE MRL locals and transfer jobs from Laurel to Missoula, the gas train, ect. We also get the traffic from Boeing in Kansas to Seattle.
Wasn't MRL the railroad that sidelined some of their locomotives to generate electricity for the power grid during a shortage, several years ago? As I recall, they were making more $ generating power than had been hauling freight. I always thought that might make a good module scene.
I don't remember the circumstances, but they did generate power for one town in an emergency. Overall, Montana has more power than they know what to do with, so it wasn't a major use of locomatives.
I'm not sure whether they sidelined active locos to generate power, or used backup locos, without impacting freight movement. IIRC, it was not an emergency situation, just that electricity cost (and producer price) had skyrocketed to make it profitable.
I just picked up 2 ea KATO SD70ACE in MRL and haven't added my ESU sound decoders. They look sharp. I believe that BNSF just took back the lease to MRL and will be moving their own freight with their equipment. I have and still take trips up through MT and have an active interest in obtaining MRL rolling stock and locos even if they will be gone I'll take some photos of the KATO locos once I add the decoder and change the couplers. Brian
I've been modeling the MRL for about 30 years. By default, that is mostly modeling the BN in Montana. Here is my latest MRL loco, SDP40-2XR #290. It is a Kato SD45 with Atlas GP40 engine room and radiator. The "P" section is Cannon and Evergreen.
Apparently BNSF wants it back. UPDATE: BNSF Railway to Reacquire Montana Rail Link Lines - Railfan & Railroad Magazine
While BNSF has wanted this track back since the 1990s, actually, MRL ownership is simply voluntarily surrendering their lease. WashCorp is getting out of this aspect of the railroading business. I am wondering what will happen to their SRY property.
Right now, this is all the MRL I have. Both cars are the same number but I plan to remedy that someday along with adding some light weathering.
I had more MRL when I modeled HO scale, but I’m working on collecting some more. Here is my beginning
It's threads like this that broke my resolve in the past to stick with solely modeling the GN and NP. I'll have to break out my MRL rolling stock this weekend and post some pics. I love the MRL and the scenery it passes through.
