Regarding bridge traffic then and now: No author had better access to, deeper ties with, or better knowledge of MRL in its early years than Billings-based Kyle Brehm. In his superb two-part story in the March and April 1990 issues of Railfan & Railroad, Brehm noted that, in addition to locals, MRL operated one through freight both directions between Spokane and Missoula, and between Missoula and Laurel. He then said, "Where the Link in Montana Rail Link really comes into play is the forwarding of BN traffic through southern Montana. Amounting to about ten trains each way a day, most of BN's traffic between the Pacific Northwest and the Gulf States that had been using the line before MRL still travels that way, except now it's an MRL crew from Spokane to Laurel."
Murphy Siding Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP. I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad. Unlikely.. but what if BNSF wasn't interested? Then it becomes more likely.. I dunno. If BNSF wasn't interested and they were the main traffic source, why would anybody else be interested? A profitable bridgeline operation with connections and on line growth potential was good enough for Denis Washington all these years and would be good enough for me as well. Likely MRL could have found another buyer were BNSF not interested.. Unless I'm seeing it wrong, BNSF controls how much traffic goes over the line and thus, how profitable the line is or isn't. If you're a competing Class 1, are you still interested?
Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP. I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad. Unlikely.. but what if BNSF wasn't interested? Then it becomes more likely.. I dunno. If BNSF wasn't interested and they were the main traffic source, why would anybody else be interested? A profitable bridgeline operation with connections and on line growth potential was good enough for Denis Washington all these years and would be good enough for me as well. Likely MRL could have found another buyer were BNSF not interested..
Murphy Siding Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP. I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad. Unlikely.. but what if BNSF wasn't interested? Then it becomes more likely.. I dunno. If BNSF wasn't interested and they were the main traffic source, why would anybody else be interested?
Ulrich Murphy Siding Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP. I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad. Unlikely.. but what if BNSF wasn't interested? Then it becomes more likely..
Murphy Siding Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP. I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad.
Ulrich Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP.
Possibly a pre-emptive purchase by BNSF. The last thing BNSF would want is a sale of MRL to CN or CP.
I thought MRL was connected to BNSF at both ends and most of their traffic came from BNSF. That seems like it would be an unlikley purchase by any other railroad.
Unlikely.. but what if BNSF wasn't interested? Then it becomes more likely..
I dunno. If BNSF wasn't interested and they were the main traffic source, why would anybody else be interested?
A profitable bridgeline operation with connections and on line growth potential was good enough for Denis Washington all these years and would be good enough for me as well. Likely MRL could have found another buyer were BNSF not interested..
Unless I'm seeing it wrong, BNSF controls how much traffic goes over the line and thus, how profitable the line is or isn't. If you're a competing Class 1, are you still interested?
MRL was guaranteed a certain level of traffic. I've read elsewhere that when Krebs' wanted it back they tried rerouting trains away from MRL. Tried to "starve" them out. Because of the guarantee, they ended up paying MRL the difference.
Jeff
Does anyone know who the signatories to the 1980 agreement were and if they are still alive?
Ed Burns
I think it's mainly because they are goind with the cheaper alternative at the moment. I mean finding cheaper options is normally bad........ but yeah "normally"
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