Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Hi Line Locals

Montana's a big state! Are there any locals based out of --let's say -- Whitefish, Shelby, or Havre that work the line, or do roadjobs do local work along the way? I'm having a hard time imagining enough work for dedicated locals in those wide-open spaces!

sums007 Wrote:
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> Montana's a big state! Are there any locals based
> out of --let's say -- Whitefish, Shelby, or Havre
> that work the line, or do roadjobs do local work
> along the way? I'm having a hard time imagining
> enough work for dedicated locals in those
> wide-open spaces!

Back in the mid-1990's during the final Burlington Northern era, there was a Whitefish-Shelby-Laurel "interdivisional" Local that handled all local work between Whitefish and Shelby. It was Train #603 westbound and Train #602 eastbound. Wasn't uncommon to see these trains at Essex picking up or dropping cars (usually ballast hoppers). It was a Daily assignment, but I don't know if it had an assigned crew that worked out one day and back the next to if it was simply crewed off the regular rotation board.

I do know there is one local for sure, the LMON-8142. Currently handling my traffic to Wolf Point and Culbertson MT. Not sure where it runs to and from, but it picks up my traffic from H-MINPAS at Glasgow MT for placement.

FWIW

Joe