When was this picture taken? The last two summers, I've been working in GNP, and I went up and down Marias Pass a lot. I took quite a few photos of helpers (among other things). Those two helpers look so nice in the orange and green, especially when it's sunny out. Also, what is HelperLink? For all I know about trains, I never heard of HelperLink. Could you elaborate? Thanks. Ladybngnfan.
With pleasure. This is in the area of GNP where from US2, you can see the double snowsheds. The train is about to enter Shed 6. I pulled into a MT DOT driveway, and climbed atop the sandpile to get this shot. They store thair snowfighting gear at this location, as it's near Summit. 48°15'2.61"N 113°28'11.20"W
June 23, 2007. Not really that early into the spring. Sorry I misread your question! HelperLink is an aparatus mounted to dedicated helper engines. It allows the helper hogger to disconnect while the train is still moving, without having to stop to reattach the FRED, and do an air test. Beyond that, I don't know what it's capable of.
If that's the unit I think it is, it's mentioned in a 2005 issue of Trains Magazine, I believe the May issue. The article said that the locomotive (number 680 in the first and second photos) in question was used only as a B unit, that the cab was not compliant with FRA rules. But it was quite a reliable unit, despite its appearance and the fact that it was not compliant. The article did mention that it would probably be one of the first to be retired once the MRL received the new SD70Aces. Would anyone know if indeed that did happen? I've spent the last 3 summers in Montana, but I have not gotten to Southern Montana in a while, except for a weekend trip from East Glacier to Helena, and even though I am probably going to be in Montana this summer, I probably won't go to Livingston any time soon. Actually, that was Trains June 2005, not May, as I originally said.
