Western Railroad Discussion > Missoula, MT May of 2001

MRL in Missoula, MT in May of 2001 was a very different place from what it is today. Back then it was a hub for several branchline and local switchers serving a variety of sawmills in the region and the big Stone Container paper plant west of town. But the changing national forest policies of the late 1990's had a devastating effect on the forest products industry in Montana. As the primary source of timber dried up, the mills closed, the branches were embargoed and the locals curtailed or eliminated. But lets look back at a find May day in 2001. Sperry Rail Service detector car #129 was laying over in town that weekend, as was the various local power crowding around the service facility.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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MRL chopped nose GP9's made up most of the local power, but SD35 #701 was hanging around. Of the GP9's, they included #109, 118, 126, 131, 133, 135.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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In addition the number of GP9's, there were also the two non-Dynamic Brake equipped GP35's (#401, 402) and road power in the form of SD45's #330, 373, 375 ready to take the ML train east.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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A pair of GE 4-axle units off the P-MEMSSE was down at the service tracks getting fueled and sanded while the boeing 737's sat at the west end of the yard. MRL SD9 #610 was working the east end of the yard.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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The Yellowstone Pipeline Terminal in Missoula that loaded the "Gas Local" tankcars was still fairly new in 2001. Caboose #1000 was made into a conference room at Washington Corp HQ.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Thank you for the pics and interesting commentary...My daughter and I stayed in Missoula back in 1994 and 1995 during the summer...I really liked it, altho being a Southern CA. native I'm sure I'd feel different in the wintertime...Here's a shot from that time around Missoula...Steverino

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Very NICE look at 2001!

Larry