Re: MRL Troll Districts? Current and Future
Author: Kyle
Date: 01-14-2022 - 22:51
Laurel - Helena
Helena - Missoula
Missoula - Spokane
BNSF Trains enter the system from the
east via trackage rights to Laurel from
all directions.
On the west end MRL has trackage rights
Sandpoint to Spokane.
The branch lines are owned by Washington Corps so
it will be interesting to see how those shape up.
Crews can be self called or come out of Laurel
for the line to Whitehall. Believe it's Livingston
for the locals.
Helper crews are assigned to Livingston and Helena.
You had asked about activity on the BNSF Laurel Sub
previously and the base traffic there is Laurel - Sweetgrass.
Probably not much change possible. The occasional coal
or grain load could go MRL but it depends on where
it's going. The intermittent CP coal and grain most
likely would continue north. Roundup coal can go
either direction depending on shipping contracts.
Laurel Sub continues to be a handy option for BNSF
but certainly not a fast route.
If they were to pull the plug on the Laurel Sub it would most likely exist at
both ends. That's because Moore has a new grain shuttle so the line to Great Falls
on the north end and Laurel to the coal mine at Roundup would most
likely stay active.
In the early days of MRL there were more dedicated intermodal
trains. If those come back then there might not be capacity to
host some of these heavies that point towards the Laurel Sub.