Montana Rail Link’s 840 local, the Helena local, has returned. The train operates out of Helena on weekdays and serves the cement plants at Montana City and Townsend. On June 25, 2020, MRL GP9 No. 109 and SD40-2XR No. 263 pass a trackside pond with a long string of two-bay covered hoppers from the cement plant at Montana City as the bring the Helena local back to the main line at East Helena. This five mile spur to Montana City is a remnant of Great Northern’s Helena to Butte line that survives under MRL ownership.
