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  1. Pause between trains

    Pause between trains

    The tracks at Blossberg are momentairly void of any action as I wait for the next train
  2. Into the Darkness

    Into the Darkness

    The last car on an east-bound BNSF coal train vanishes into Mullan Tunnel
  3. BNSF coal gondola

    BNSF coal gondola

    A BNSF coal gondola sports BNSF's latest logo at Mullan Pass.
  4. BNSF grain at Austin

    BNSF grain at Austin

    A BNSF grain train powered by 3 Dash 9's & an SD70ACe barels down the 2.2% grade towards Helena
  5. MRL #4304

    MRL #4304

    MRL SD70ACe #4304 passes through a grade crossing on its way back to Helena on a BNSF grain train.
  6. Westward towards Winton

    Westward towards Winton

    A westbound intermodal labors uphill emerging from the tunnel south of Winton on May 25, 2008. EMD/Oakway SD60 #9004 is sandwiched between BNSF C44-9W's #4571 and 1024.
  7. Mullan Tunnel

    Mullan Tunnel

    One can barley see the other end of the 3,896' tunnel from the west portal at Blossberg. LOCATION: Blossberg, Mt RAILROAD: Montana Rail Link TRAIN/LOCOMOTIVE: - DATE: July 2008
  8. Heading into Mullan Tunnel

    Heading into Mullan Tunnel

    BNSF #6062 & its train of coal empties heads into the west entrance at Blossberg. The train is split across the 2 sides of the continental divide here, with the locomotives & about 5 to 8 coal gondolas on the east side & the rest on the west side
  9. BNSF coal empties at Blossberg (2)

    BNSF coal empties at Blossberg (2)

    The BNSF empty coal train starts its decent through Mullan Tunnel towards Helena on a warm July afternoon
  10. BNSF coal empties at Blossberg (3)

    BNSF coal empties at Blossberg (3)

    A good view of the locomotives on the head end, which include a BNSF ES44AC, a BNSF AC4400, & a BNSF SD70ACe
  11. East-bound coal empties at Blossberg

    East-bound coal empties at Blossberg

    BNSF ES44AC #6062, accompanied by 2 trailing units, a BNSF AC4400 & a BNSF SD70ACe, crest the divide at Blossberg after climbing a 1.2% grade up the west side.
  12. Blossberg portal

    Blossberg portal

    The track can be seen curving before entering the 3,896.5' tunnel.
  13. Its all down hill from here

    Its all down hill from here

    The 3-unit helper set starts to head down the 1%grade towards Mullan Tunnel, which will steepen to 2.2% at the east end of the tunnel & continue down to Helena
  14. Around the curve

    Around the curve

    The 3-unit helper set moves around a curve towards Mullan tunnel
  15. Cresting the summit at Blossberg

    Cresting the summit at Blossberg

    An east-bound 3-unit helper set of MRL SD45's crests the continental divide at Blossberg.
  16. Continental Divide- East side

    Continental Divide- East side

    A sign approx. 500 ft. from the west tunnel portal denotes the continental divide for WB trains (and on-lookers).
  17. West Portal

    West Portal

    A view of the soot-blackened Mullan Pass tunnel's west portal at Blossberg. I waited and hoped a west-bound would come so I could witness the semi-famous "black fog of Blossberg" as it is called, but a non-stop parade of EB trains & only 1 day to do the whole Mullan Pass area kept...
  18. Montana Rail Link

    Montana Rail Link

    Still waiting for something to come my way at Blossberg, I decide to take a picture of MRL's logo on one of their signal boxes at Blossberg
  19. Continental Divide - west side

    Continental Divide - west side

    A sign denoting the continental divide to EB trains (and on-lookers) at the crest of Mullan Pass reads "CONTINENTAL DIVIDE elevation 5,548 ft. above sealevel", & can be seen abt. 500 ft. west of Mullan Tunnel's west portal
  20. Blossberg

    Blossberg

    A sign naming the railroad location of Blossberg can be see appox. 1200' west of the Mullan Pass tunnel portal.


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