G-CCMINB9-04 over Marias Pass
| Follow a westbound loaded grain train over Marias Pass from Browning to Belton, Montana on Sunday, October 7, 2001. The G-CCMINB9-04 originated in Clay City, Minnesota on October 4th with a destination of Interbay, Washington. - Paul Birkholz |
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The westbound grain train has just passed under Highway 2 west of Browning and is heading towards Spotted Robe and Glacier Park. BNSF 5315 and 5472 were on the point along with two distributed power units on the rear of the train. |
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The ridge of the continental divide funnels the westbound, loaded grain train towards the summit west of Bison, MT. |
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Just a tinge of fall color is evident in the aspen trees east of Summit, MT. Concrete ties and heavy rail are standard on almost all of the BNSF line over Marias Pass. |
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At Summit, MT, the G-CCMINB9-04 enters double track which will continue over the Pass all the way to Java East. |
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Partly cloudy skies marked most of the afternoon and provided some challenges as shown in this image near Marias, MT. The train is draped over the continental divide right now with the head end units in dynamic braking and the rear end units still pushing on the end of the train. |
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The area between Paola and Red Eagle provides a number of opportunities for photos well above the rails from the surrounding ridges. |
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One of the straightest sections of track over Marias Pass is from Red Eagle to Nyack. The westbound grain train is approaching the end of the double track mainline at Nyack. |
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A convenient clearing in the trees provides thid vista of the G-CCMINB9-04 along the Middle Fork Flathead River and passing through Tunnel #4 east of Belton, MT. |
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Manifest, grain, & intermodal |
Amtrak, manifest & Z-trains |
From Browning to Belton |
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