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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Montana short line finishes repairs to flood-damaged bridge
This railroad is the only one in the state of Montana that runs on state owned railroad, so the state was the one that needed to replace the bridge, but there was a debate as to whether or not to keep the railroad at all, so it took three years to repair state owned track.
There is something the matter with our transportation policy when flood waters can knock a railroad out of service for almost four years while said highway repairs take only weeks. Public and private aside.
Looks like a Rock Island caboose!
Penny wise, and pound foolish. They could have applied for an RRIF loan and been back in service shortly after the flood. Instead they sat on their hands and waited for ‘free’ money to repair their railroad. After they had the loan and were back in service, then they could have applied to have it forgiven, which it probably would have been due to the ‘hardship’ it caused them
There will be no grain to haul as additional shuttle facilities have been opened since the bridge has been out of service.
Excellent photo!
BA&P is also owned by state w/contract operator.
Caboose is ex-BN International “extended-vision” cupola type (currently CMR #100), image taken E-of Sage Cr. viaduct (in background) during a private “photo freight” excursion on 23-Sep-2012.