MRL 4300's arriving on property 09/08 and 09/09

[arbfbe]

MRL 4300 (SD70ACe) should be into Missoula on Thursday afternoon with MRL 4301 coming in on Friday. Expect the rest of the 4300 - 4315 group to be arriving from painting at CEECO in Tacoma in the next few weeks. The primary assignments will be on the Helena and Livingston helpers and the ML/LM trains. Other use on the Gas Locals and transfer jobs may be possible.

Not to worry, there will be SD45 and SD45-2 units in helper service at Helena and perhaps Livingston as well as in the ML/LM pool of power for some time to come. The flared radiator SD45's upgraded by the SP to -2 status are considered as SD45-2 units by the MRL and will be around at least as long as the factory built flat radiator SD45-2 power.

[arbfbe]

Arrival in Missoula of the MRL 4300 is predicted to be 1330 or so today 09/08.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

While many of us (myself included) will lament the passing of many of MRL's SD45's, the purchase of the SD70ACe's shows that MRL's management is running their railroad as a business and fully intend to stay in that business for a long time.

Personally, I find new power of any type as fascinating as the old power it replaces.

[chad thomas]

Pictures, pictures....where are the pictures? [8D]

[Anonymous]

These units look awsome in MRL paint, too.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=117565

[chad thomas]

GOOD looking units. They look tight in MRL colors.

What's with those GE looking windows? Why no teardrop windows on these?

[Anonymous]

man thise look real awesome in montana rail links schemme, real sharp!

[espeefoamer]

Those engines look good in MRL paint[8D]!

[Anonymous]

Being a huge MRL fan, I believe this is a milestone for the MRL, although I will miss some of the old SD45s

Times is changin'

[broncoman]

Awesome looking units, the only thing is they would look more muscular with the large (old SP) front snowplows. The ones on it look pretty girlie, being in snow country you would think they would warrant the big ones.

[miniwyo]

Man, i think in all its simliciity, that MRL scheme looks sharp, never seen a real Monkeys Running Loose train in action but i have seen pics, and boy are they sharp.

[fuzzybroken]

Whoa! That looks sharp! I've always thought the MRL paint was classy, and it even makes the ACe look good! Makes me wonder what WC would have bought had CN not bought them...

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com