With storms whipping through the area, an eastbound Montana Rail Link ballast train rumbles through Jefferson River Canyon east of Whitehall, Montana, on September 14, 2010. A nice pair of SD45s (rebuilt by MRL and labeled SD45-2), Nos. 328 and 327 power the train on the scenic Fifth Subdivision, which parallels the abandoned former Milwaukee Road main line, seen across the river on the left. This subdivision is a portion of Northern Pacific’s secondary main line that once went over Homestake Pass and through Butte used by the famed North Coast Limited. Just before the train arrived at this location, the wind was so strong that it blew dirt and rocks off the cliffs, making it nearly impossible to be outside.
