Western Railroad Discussion > Part 2 Summer of MRL - Gas in the Morning

We woke up in Clark Fork, Idaho around 0600 and puttered around the Chimney of Idaho. There are some fantastic scenes out there and still many of the original Northern Pacific searchlight signals and cantilever bridges. For day 2, we had MRL's day gas on the morning agenda and then a drive to Lombard Canyon for two nights of camping where the Milwaukee Road crossed the NP. It didn't seem like anything was moving west of Thompson Falls, so we high tailed it to where the gas train swaps loads just east of Thompson Falls. Timing couldn't have been better. The crew was completing their air test as we rolled into town.

1. The Day gas gets ready to return east to Missoula at Thompson Falls, MT. The brakeman sees the train off the siding as all crew members trouble shoot a bell that was stuck in the on position. We were riding on a high from the last light train at Hope, ID the night before. The train gods came through again with perfectly timing a chase of MRL's famed day gas local. 

2. After shooting the train at Thompson Falls we darted eastbound and chose a photo location. It was sort of overwhelming with the amount of different locations to chose from. All of the online research and scouting paid off, but timing was critical as this would be the only day gas we'd shoot the entire trip. 

3. One of the highlights of shooting Blue pullers west of Missoula is the plethora of old NP signal infrastructure. I made it a priority to shoot the double cantilevers at Plains, MT

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4. The train ended up taking the 10th sub via Evaro which made for easy shooting. I struggled to achieve the classic train along the river scene that so many railfans have captured over the years. The zoom wedges seemed to be the easiest for this first time chaser on the 10th sub. Here is the train slow rolling Ravalli after tripping a defect detector.

5. I was shooting so many zooms that I needed to get out the wide angle lens. Evaro Hill was the perfect location for this. The train can be seen dropping down the steep grade on its final descent into Missoula. 

The morning went off without a hitch. We would have lunch in Missoula, casually chase trains to Helena before stocking up on groceries and heading into Lombard Canyon for a few days of off the grid foaming!

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Very NICE series of the MRL gas train in great scenery.

Larry

Ritzville Wrote:
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> Very NICE series of the MRL gas train in great
> scenery.
>
> Larry

Thanks, Larry! June 2022 saw nearly record rainfalls in the American west and it provided for some really nice, lush green landscapes. 

Great bunch!

JG

Very nice! You mentioned the riverside shots as being difficult to locate (I assume you mean the one near Perma) and I'd agree you are correct. It's one of those deals where the road has no shoulder and with the tracks down below you its difficult to stop in just the right spot....plus you come to the shot fairly quickly and need to know where to pull off...and the train speed is such that if you miss it there is precious little time to backtrack and be in position.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/23 12:02 by DJ-12.

Ia MRL still running  trains? I thought that BNSF ended MRL lease and all trains are BNSF powered.  

RRBMail Wrote:
<< Is MRL still running  trains? I thought that BNSF ended MRL lease and all trains are BNSF powered.  >>

First, MRL owner, Mr. Washington wanted to end the lease. Which is still in the process of being approved by all parties concerned and the Surface Transportation Board. The STB may make some sort of ruling March08 at the earliest. MRL is still operating on it's own, including putting out new rail and ties for the upcoming gandy season and running locals and their own road freights as in the past.

Also, SCU foam, very nice photo threads you have going.
Dave in Polson, MT

Excellent pictures; very nice scenery and color!
GK

Fantastic series!

Great stuff! Can’t wait to see Lombard, super jealous of your campout. I’ve always been intrigued with that canyon and it’s history while looking at the epic shots the master Mike Danneman has captured there.

Definitely a super series!  Every photo is a winner!
ALLEN

SPgoletablock Wrote:
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> Great stuff! Can’t wait to see Lombard, super
> jealous of your campout. I’ve always been
> intrigued with that canyon and it’s history
> while looking at the epic shots the master Mike
> Danneman has captured there.

Thank You! Seeing Danneman photos from Lombard are what really sparked this entire trip. That along with some Lombard stories from a good friend and it was easy to make 3 days in the remote canyon a top priority. My buddy and I like to do the crazy hikes that you do and have shot some fantastic scenes, but nothing quite compares to the ruggedness and remoteness of Lombard. 

Great stuff (so far) !!

I was going to quietly enjoy your reports until you posted all your Parts, but your catching the Gas Local reminded me of my missing the Gas Local 11 years ago.

My theory is that a MRL employee must have seen me loitering around Missoula Yard aimelessly, so had the courtesy to have a conversation on the radio to specifically mention that the Gas Local was not running that day. I did score some "foamer points" on that trip with a Boeing train, and a train smoking out of the Mullan Tunnel.

Looking forward to your next installments, and I'll go back to enjoying your reports quietly.

The MRL has done a great job running their RR.  I really wonder how BNSF will do once they come back in?  Long freights stalling on hills?  Reduced service for local businesses that have relied on MRL?  I hope it will be a good transition.

Great series of photos!

Jim B

Nice pictures, Lombard is one of my favorite spots, used to go down and watch the Milwaukee Road crossover the NP.

Posted from iPhone

coach Wrote:
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> Long freights stalling on hills?

They already have a long history of stalling on Winston Hill...

Good stuff, really like the backdrops around Paradise.
t4p.

Great shots!!