Dropping downgrade off Winston Hill, Montana Rail Link’s Helena switch leans into a curve approaching Townsend, Montana, with two cars for the lime plant north of town on June 30, 2017. Nice to ... (more)

Montana Rail Links Helena Local highballs through Louisville, MT on its way back west to Helena.

BNSF’s Helena local crosses over a bridge spanning a small tributary of Prickly Pear Creek as it approached East Helena, Montana, in late afternoon light on July 9, 2024. Leading the train is Mo... (more)

It's a busy evening in Winston, Montana at the siding near the top of the grade on Montana Rail Link's 2nd Subdivision. With the MRL's Helena Local and an eastbound manifest freight both pulled in... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Paradise local switches Thompson River Lumber Company at Woodlin east of Thompson Falls, Montana, on January 24, 2013.

MRL 109 is headed back to Helena with the 840 local in tow.

Storming past milepost 215
Montana’s Winston Hill between Townsend and Helena seems to be a magnate for afternoon thunderstorms in summer. Being east of the Continental Divide and wed... (more)

Montana Rail Link's Helena Local job pulls into the siding and approaches the signals at Louisville, Montana behind GP9 109 and SD45 355. The train will hold here for a westbound grain train to pa... (more)

Montana Rail Link’s Helena local works upgrade at milepost 214 between Townsend and Winston, Montana, on the afternoon of June 27, 2023.

After the passage of a thunderstorm on the afternoon of July 6, 2023, Montana Rail Link’s Helena local growls up Winston Hill under dark skies as it approaches the top of the hill at Winston, Mo... (more)

Dwarfed by the surrounding terrain, Montana Rail Link's Helena Local heads east as it descends Winston Hill outside of Winston, Montana behind a GP9 and SD45. The train is bound for Townsend at th... (more)

MRL 109 splits the searchlight signals at Winston Hill.

Peyton captures a pacing shot as we race along the highway.

Led by venerable Montana Rail Link EMD GP9 No. 109, MRL’s Helena local rolls smartly eastward between East Helena and Winston, Montana, on the afternoon of September 29, 2022.

Winston Hill is a great spot to watch storms form over the mountains and move about. A perfectly sunny day gave way to thick clouds later in the afternoon. As much as I wanted sun, I think this tu... (more)