Western Railroad Discussion > Maria's Pass MT avalanche

Maria's Pass has both mains closed.

MRL is expecting 20 or more BNSF detours.

What are BNSF's alternate routes ?

Skip Marquard
Carmel Valley, CA

skiptrain Wrote:
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> What are BNSF's alternate routes ?

The answer's in the OP's post.

skiptrain Wrote: << What are BNSF's alternate routes ? >>

See the original post... <<MRL is expecting 20 or more BNSF detours.>>

Dave in MT

Maybe we can see a "trial" run of the proposed North Coast Hiawatha.  LOL...

Top Cat.

I'm curios exactly where the avalanche was. If it was at the location of a removed snowshed?

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Where on the eastern end would trains switch from the BNSF to MRL to use this detour?

walstib Wrote:
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> Where on the eastern end would trains switch from
> the BNSF to MRL to use this detour?

I guess that depends how far east, but for the immediate High Line traffic Shelby they could turn south still if I'm not mistaken and run down to Laurel via Great Falls. If further east they can turn south bewtween Minot and Glasglow at Snowden and go via Glendive & Forsyth to Laurel. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/21 10:01 by NWrailfan.

Copy that, thank you.

Posted from iPhone

NWrailfan Wrote:
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> walstib Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where on the eastern end would trains switch
> from
> > the BNSF to MRL to use this detour?
>
> I guess that depends how far east, but for the
> immediate High Line traffic Shelby they could turn
> south still if I'm not mistaken and run down to
> Laurel via Great Falls. If further east they can
> turn south bewtween Minot and Glasglow at Snowden
> and go via Glendive & Forsyth to Laurel. 

There's no connection from westbound HiLine to southbound Great Falls Sub at Shelby.  The power would have to run around the train to reverse direction [or use a proper facing rear-end DPU].

funnelfan Wrote:
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> I'm curios exactly where the avalanche was. If it
> was at the location of a removed snowshed?
I have read that it is between Sheep Creek Trestle and Java West which means in an area where there are no snow sheds. That would put it west of snow shed 11.

Posted from iPhone

HoosierVirg Wrote:
> I have read that it is between Sheep Creek Trestle
> and Java West which means in an area where there
> are no snow sheds. That would put it west of snow
> shed 11.

That would be intresting as they have large sandy slopes above and below the tracks there, but no avalanche chutes. Might have a lot of trees mixed up in that snow!

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

In another era, they could simply turn south at Havre thru Big Sandy down to Great Falls, then continue south on the pretty ex-GN line to Helena and get on MRL. Would take a bit of track laying to get that done now...

As of late afternoon... Appears that they've reopened one track and are letting some trains go through. Flathead Avalanche Center has issued a "high" avalanche warning through 6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. It's raining in Columbia Falls/ Coram/ West Glacier area and it's 40 degrees in Essex... That never bodes well for keeping the snow in place. 

Dave in MT

For what it is worth; the Laurel Sub is as quiet as ever.  No unusual moves in any direction.  Nothing on the scanner either. 

fbe Wrote:
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> Maria's Pass has both mains closed.
>
> MRL is expecting 20 or more BNSF detours.

It's not "Maria's" as in "belonging to a woman named Maria," it's "Marias," pronounced "mar-eye-us."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/21 19:49 by NWRail.

If the MRL gets 20 detoured trains, would they have to use both passes on their line:  Mullan and...what's that other one?  Would that be necessary for fluidity?

NWRail Wrote:
<< It's "Marias" as in mar-eye-us, not "Maria's." <<

I'm afraid ol' "fbe", the original poster, is using the original name of the pass and it was spelled with the apostrophe. Meriwether Lewis named the river which headwaters are to the east of that pass after his cousin Maria Woods. Thus the first spelling was Maria's River. Lewis never saw the pass, but it ended up being called that later on.
Dave in Montana

coach Wrote:
<< If the MRL gets 20 detoured trains, would they have to use both passes on their line:  Mullan and...what's that other one?  Would that be
> necessary for fluidity?>>

Homestake?? No, it's out of service. Besides, all the detours are eastbounds and westward traffic is currently light this week, so no congestion issues. But they might have crew issus later with crews being rested. 
Dave in MT

monaddave Wrote:
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> NWRail Wrote:
> << It's "Marias" as in mar-eye-us, not "Maria's."
> <<
>
> I'm afraid ol' "fbe", the original poster, is
> using the original name of the pass and it was
> spelled with the apostrophe. Meriwether Lewis
> named the river which headwaters are to the east
> of that pass after his cousin Maria Woods. Thus
> the first spelling was Maria's River. Lewis never
> saw the pass, but it ended up being called that
> later on.
> Dave in Montana

Thanks, Dave, I did not know that.