# Montana Rail Link



## Bighurt (Sep 15, 2009)

I've been doing some research, just for smiles. 

Some of the things I've been looking for are;


Modern 

Prototype
Location
Model availability
Operational Aspect 


In mainly comes down to feasibility of operation. In large scale most of the time its simply running trains through our gardens and just watching them move. Of course operation is mixed in for good fun, but I'd suspect that 90% of garden railroaders just watch trains. Call me a liar, and defend yourselves if you wish but come on garden railroading really is miniature railfanning. 


When you combine operation and modern it's really hard to get the two perfect. Class I in particular has turned over a lot of the branch lines to regional railroads, they handle the pick-up and deliver from the yard and the little guy takes care of package delivery. Class II railroads operate nearly identical trains to those of class II on a smaller operation, usually regionally.

Take the MRL they run one mainline from Sandpoint to Billings with trackage rights to Spokane. they handle all the rail service in between those two points with a handful of shortlines off the main trunk. They have big modern diesels SD70Ace run the line as well as nearly everything else. Their trains consist of everything from mixed freight to unit trains both coal and grain, and while I've never seen it I suspect a hotshot BNSF Intermodal could utilize the line to shortcut Marias Pass on the way to Kansas City.


As far as layout and location is concerned nothing is easier to model than a long bridge route with a little activity thrown in for good measure. I'm attempting to model a manageable HO scale layout following the WSOR but with such short runs between points it's difficult to get enough railroad in to see operation and not include a Wye, and we all know how hard it is to model a Wye.


MRL also travels through the mountains with some scenic vistas from the old Milwaukee line west. Thus giving it the same appeal has The Utah Belt a Freelanced modern bridge line by Eric Brooman, one of my favorite model railroads of all time.


MRL even uses Caboose in its operation, and there is nothing more traditional than a rear end Caboose.


Sadly there are very few models of MRL available in the industry, a problem I'm having with the WSOR. None are made in 1:29 or large scale altogether.

When I originally started getting focused on my garden adventure I decided the DM&E would be the line for me. However painting all the locomotives and some of the freight was not something that appealed to me at this point in time. None the less I've kept obtaining various freight cars and ATSF/BNSF models, still haven't opened my BNSF SD70...


I imagine I'll settle on modeling the BNSF in my area, however its fun to seek out other lines that would be fun to operate as well as model. I mean who doesn't want big blue diesels in the garden. 


Of course their is Alaska... 


Cheers
Jeremy


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## work4fil (Jan 4, 2008)

Thank you Jeremy, for taking me back down memory lane. 

We lived in Sandpoint, just south of the Long Bridge. I worked over in Kootenai, where I got an eyeful of the MRL. I too enjoyed the blue diesels, especially the ones bringing airplane fuselages to Boeing. For grins, we would go to the Sandpoint station and watch trains roll through town. 

I have lots of good memories of weekends spent at Dog Beach, on the north end of the long bridge, basking in the sun, playing in Lake Pend D'Reille, while a freight came rumbling by every ten minutes. 

I feel your pain regarding the lack of models available of specific roads in large scale. However, we are a creative, resourceful lot, and we can overcome these marketing shortfalls with our vivid imaginations. So I would hesitate to use the word "settle." It is your road and I am confident you will find something you can model and will bring you joy. Afterall, that why we do this. 

Have fun. 

Fil


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

There are a lot of BNSF "run through" trains on MRL. So, BN, SF, BNSF and other paint jobs on available product should be OK. Also, the Aristo-Craft SD-45 and the USAT SD40-2, SD70MAC & GP9 could be re-painted for MRL. The SD70MAC would substitute for the SD70Ace and the GP9 would substitute for the chop-nose GP9s that MRL has. Depending on your time period, the AC Southern Pacific SD-45 could be used with the SP lettering painted out. 

Bert


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## Bighurt (Sep 15, 2009)

I realize there is a significant portion of run through power, I might work towards that goal. It is far more conceivable than any other plan I have come up with. I should see if Shad still has those broken SD-70's for sale, I could kit-bash one into an actual SD-70Ace and paint it MRL colors. Sure it needs to be repaired but it's a cheap entry into a model one needs to bash. 

Just having trains is enjoyment enough but I'm usually not satisfied by simplistic means. I'd like a little prototype in my model. 

Another plus is if I include the Livingston locomotive repair facility, I could have any number of locomotives on the line... 

Appreciate both your inputs.


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

Aristo made a few MRL box cars. There are several in our club.

http://www.aristocraft.com/database...;year=2004


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