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.jpg) A Montana Rail Link train in April 2005 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Missoula, Montana |
| Reporting mark | MRL |
| Locale | Idaho, Montana, Washington |
| Dates of operation | October 31, 1987–January 1, 2024 (as an independent railroad) |
| Successor | BNSF Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 937 miles |
| Other | |
| Website | www |
Montana Rail Link (reporting mark MRL) (now operated by BNSF as the MRL Subdivision) was a privately held Class II railroad in the United States. It operated on trackage originally built by the Northern Pacific Railway and leased from its successor BNSF Railway. MRL was a unit of The Washington Companies and was headquartered in Missoula, Montana.
The railroad ran between Huntley, Montana and Spokane, Washington, largely within Montana, and the main line passes through the towns of Missoula, Livingston, Bozeman, Billings, and Helena. Montana Rail Link connected with the BNSF on both ends and also in Garrison, Montana. The railroad had over 900 miles (1,400 km) of track,[1] served 100 stations, and employed approximately 1,000 personnel. The main classification yard was in Laurel, Montana, with smaller yards in Missoula, Billings, Bozeman and Helena.[2] Repair and mechanical facilities were in Livingston, Montana; turntables remain in Livingston and Laurel.
In January 2022, MRL and BNSF agreed on an early lease termination to return control of the line to BNSF. This took place on January 1, 2024; MRL became a subdivision of BNSF, and all employees of MRL were offered employment with BNSF.
- ^ "Freight train derails into Clark Fork River". Coeur d'Alene Press. April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ^ For a general guide to the railroad, see Del Grosso, "Montana Rail Link Trackside Guide and Locomotive Directory" (1992, Great Northern Pacific Publications).