• Montana Rail Link SD70ACes

  • Montana Rail Link (reporting mark MRL) is a privately held Class II railroad in the United States. MRL, which operates on trackage originally built by the Northern Pacific Railway, is a unit of the Washington Companies, and is headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Website: montanarail.com
Montana Rail Link (reporting mark MRL) is a privately held Class II railroad in the United States. MRL, which operates on trackage originally built by the Northern Pacific Railway, is a unit of the Washington Companies, and is headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Website: montanarail.com
  by USRailFan
 
Not sure this is the correct place to post, but I didn't find a specific MRL forum..
Does anyone know what numbers the MRL SD70ACes will have, and which locomotives (if any) they'll replace?
Also, do someone know of an up-to-date roster for MRL?

  by Aa3rt
 
While I'm afraid I can't answer your first two questions, here's a link to the Montana Rail Link Unofficial Guide page. Scroll down and you'll find a link for the roster, dated Jan. 16th, 2001. If someone out there has a more current roster, please help this gentleman out.

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~timharri/mrl.html

  by USRailFan
 
Aa3rt wrote:While I'm afraid I can't answer your first two questions, here's a link to the Montana Rail Link Unofficial Guide page. Scroll down and you'll find a link for the roster, dated Jan. 16th, 2001. If someone out there has a more current roster, please help this gentleman out.

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~timharri/mrl.html
Yes I know of that roster, and as you say it is from 2001, that was why I wondered if somebody knows of a newer roster. Then again, there is of course the possibility that there haven't really been any major change in MRL's roster until the SD70ACe order
  by SD Shortline
 
In either or both "Trains" and "Railfan and Railroad" has the ACe's knocking down the SD45 ranks.
  by USRailFan
 
SD Shortline wrote:In either or both "Trains" and "Railfan and Railroad" has the ACe's knocking down the SD45 ranks.
Thanks for the info.
So I guess the MRL will go for the SD70ACes as mainline power and SD40-2s/SD45-2s as helpers then?

  by The S.P. Caboose
 
Could there be any info on Montana Rail Link's web site?

Just a thought.

  by AmtrakFan
 
Well I know the SD40-2/SD45's will be kept for leasing services. Some are still on BNSF
  by gravelyfan
 
When are the new units slated to be delivered?
  by AmtrakFan
 
gravelyfan wrote:When are the new units slated to be delivered?
Later this summer.
  by backroadrails
 
I heard a while back that the BHP SD70ACe’s that were resturned to EMD are headed to the MRL. I haven’t heard anything since, so can anyone confirm this?
  by NorthWest
 
MRL is getting four ex-BHP ACes, all of which were at Progress Rail Tacoma, WA last I heard for modifying to American standards.
  by Leo_Ames
 
Is traffic climbing back upwards, or will these be used to retire more of what little is left of their one time fleet of SD40/SD45's and derivatives?

Not too long ago, it sounded like traffic levels didn't warrant buying additional new SD70ACe's.
  by NorthWest
 
I'm guessing traffic increases. The SD45 fleet didn't seem to get much use after 2015 or so, and generally as a surge fleet, with SD70ACes taking most road jobs and 4-axle power on locals.