Western Railroad Discussion > So MRL becomes BN again, the circle is unbroken.

Why should we expect anything different to happen now that didnt in 1987? Will MRL routes again be neglected only to again be spun off to another iteration of 'MRL'? Is corporate machine railroading able to create any better of an outcome than it did leading up to 1987? Railway Age article

dragoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Will MRL routes again be
> neglected only to again be spun off to another
> iteration of 'MRL'? 

Doubtful.  The MRL route has become a pretty heavy mover of unit trains now, something that was fairly rare on that line back in the 80's.  Coal, grain, and even oil trains run in significant quantities over this line now.

Unfortunately, BNSF hasn't put much effort into new intermodal train service in corridors that connect with the MRL.  Even back in the BN days, one could see at least two intermodal trains a day each way back in the late 80's and early 90's; today its about four each way a week.  In addition, carload traffic isn't what it once was either; partially because southeast traffic (say for Memphis gateway) is now routed via Minneapolis, then south through St. Louis to Memphis.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/23 16:20 by wyeth.

Doubtful. Corporate/ management thinking is indeed a little different today than in 1987. In the mid-80s, there wasn't as much coal, oil and grain and today there is a lot of that. The former NP route has saved BN/ BNSF's bacon when there have been wrecks and weather issues on Montana's Hi-Line (ex-GN) as well as BNSF"s Inside Gateway to California. BNSF prefers to have less unit trains on the Hi-Line and they sure like to run the moving parking lots of deadhead tofc/ cofc from the Pacific NW to So California, the long way around to avoid parking them via the Bieber, CA route. A few years ago, they did start running a nice Intermodal train to and from the PacNW to Alliance, TX, but that poor train now gets loaded up with carload traffic in both directions. Rarely is it solid trailers and containers. 

There is also a new labor contract between the current MRL employees and BNSF that they should honor, as well as any STB rulings.
Dave in MT

Just a bit of food for thought: The entire ex-NP territory MRL is about to give up was under BN auspices for a mere 17 years (1970 ~ 1987). It has been Montana Rail Link for going on 36 years, depending on the exact date of the "give-back"...  ;^)

Lance/199 (retired from MRL in 2010)

There appears to be an uptick of northbound traffic out of Laurel onto the Laurel Sub into Great Falls, MT.  Primarily unit trains.  And the daily manifest northbound out of Laurel is seeing its crew bumping up against the hours of service rule more often of late.  Re-crewing of those trains is taking upwards of 36 hrs.  Some as just a few hours.

To the original post:. why would BNSF spend $2B to buy out MRL only to shed it again? Uncle Warren isn't Elon Musk dropping stupid money to blow up Twitter. Weird things can happen down the road, but I very seriously doubt BNSF plans anything other than using the reclaimed trackage.

yorknl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To the original post:. why would BNSF spend $2B to
> buy out MRL only to shed it again?

i don't know why Uncle Warren would spend a couple Bs on an orphaned stepchild, but I have heard of guys remarrying their ex's only to find better reasons for her to become an ex ex.

BN leased the ex-NP lines to MRL on October 31, 1987 for SIXTY years. MRL is a unit of the privately owned Washington Companies, founded by Dennis Washington (B 07/27/1934).
The Washington Companies owns a number of enterprises in the transportation, mining, ship building & repair, and construction industries. Their transportation holdings include one other railroad, the Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY).

It has been reported that BNSF had made offers to buy out MRL prior to the agreement announced in January 2022. Given Mr. Washington's age, I imagine he and his family decided to cash out their MRL business that would automatically terminate in twenty-four years.

BN made a foolish move leasing this line to begin with; BNSF severely wants to get back these ex-NP lines.

ALLEN

Allen,
I agree with your perspective.  The BN made an Ill-advised move, when they leased this property to the Washington companies.  

By the time of the BNSF merger, the MRL was an expensive alternative to the high line. BNSF will be much happier to re-acquire and run trains over the MRL.  

krm152 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> BN made a foolish move leasing this line to begin
> with; BNSF severely wants to get back these ex-NP
> lines.
>


Especially after the multi-decades worth of upgrades, rebuilding, and expansion the MRL Track and B&B Depts. have brought to this old NP route through the Rockies. CTC, CWR, connections of and greatly extended passing sidings, Yard expansion, fueling capacity, etc. I may be naive, but $2,000,000,000.00 seems like a bargain!


~ Mr. MRL

Before leaving ND last year, the BNSF was increasing the number of "super" trains (their terminology for trains that won't fit in sidings) eastbound on fromer NP and westbound on GN Hiline. My speculation is that there will be a significant increase in there movements in the future. The imbalance of loads vs. empties to the Pacific Northwest makes this a natural routing - empties running east will not require helpersover Mullan and Bozeman Passes. We were seeing this through Mandan with 14,000+ ft. X trains (empty grain) and B trains - looong baretables of domestic containers and trailers.

PCBill

krm152 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> BN made a foolish move leasing this line to begin
> with;

...a union busting attempt that didn't work, along with Washington Central and Winona Bridge.

TAW