[65][4k] Montana Rail Link Helpers on Mullan Pass, MRL 3rd Sub, MT 06/17+19/2018 ©mbmars01 

Mountain railroading is extreme. The material is stressed almost to the limits. In that valley you could literally hear the immense forces acting on basically all parts of the cars. The engines must work very hard, every single horsepower unit is needed. Just awesome. I had a similar experience in Arizona on the Southern Transcon last year in the Crozier Canyon. Yeah, the sound is very important component of the experience!

Well, thank you! I'm glad you like it.

Kenny Sell hey Brit brother

Oh I love them. I now also have two on my layout :)

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. My understanding is that most of the training is indeed done on the road by learning from the veterans.

They also attend a 6 to 8 week training school.

Many thanks. I perfectly understand it; it's just beautiful out there. I also intend to have an MRL theme on my HO layout.

Very good!

It really depends. Some helper units or DPUs have crews, in particular those that only push a limited distance and return to help another train. Regular DPUs on long distance trains are controlled from the lead locomotive.

@@mbmars01 if I had to guess they're not running as a mid train dpu but as an actual mid train manned pusher hence having a crew etc. Though having re watched the video, the rear BNSF units are most likely DPU's. So I stand corrected.

How many crew per engine?

@@Max_R_MaMint head end crew of 2 and each set helper set has a crew of 2. The BNSF trailing units are likely DPU's and have no crew.

@@ljones121 Thanks for the reply! What do they call the engineer's assistant nowadays? Still called Fireman? Im sorry for the lame questions; I just have no idea. I've always heard there's an engineer who drives the train, his right-hand man (was) the fireman, and they operated the equipment. Then there's the conductor, who manages the train as a complete entity (says where we go, where we're stopping, what we're dropping off or picking up, etc.) and is responsible for getting the freight from point A to point B and on time. Also, brakemen wouldve been used to set brakes on all the cars (back before air brakes). Am I totally wrong, lol?

Thank you 😊

Mike Duross i would like to see how much the cargo is valued vs the overhead

I'm glad it came out well and the camera did a good job. Light conditions were poor.

I'd like to know too. Any answers please?

where track is curved

It's the wheel flanges rubbing against the inner edge of the rail on curves. Here in the UK we have flange greasers at known bad locations, usually in built up areas where residents living near the track would be driven crazy by the constant squealing. These squirt out a little grease as the train passes to lubricate between the two metal faces. It all works fine until a greaser malfunctions and dumps everything in one go, then you end up with a train with very greasy wheels that is incredibly difficult to stop ! You'll probably also notice that the squealing is far worse in dry weather than wet - same reason - the water acts as a natural lubricant up to a point.

This is an extraordinary area to watch trains. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. I'm glad you like the video! Thanks so much.

Thanks! Wow...

Great you like it. Thanks.

Thanks so much. Well, I'm simply a curious rail enthusiast who loves to understand how railroad things work.

Same wtf lol 8 engines? I swear there's 300-400+ cars. No way a train under 300+ cars need 8 engines

Yes, these were Boeing 737 fuselages.

I hope not lol

Elliston, MT. Have fun out there!

Hmmm. Well, I don't know it better, but like I did, the wikipedia page also claims that "Montana Rail Link trains operate between Billings, MT and Spokane, WA using trackage rights over BN successor BNSF Railway's tracks connecting those points." If that's not precisely correct, someone should update this information.

I really don't know.

Thanks!

Cool!

Great you like the video!

Vielen Dank! Schoene Gruesse zurueck in die alte Heimat :)

Yes, the MRL helpers do push and pull, which seems to be optimal. Most trains come already with their own rear DPUs, so putting more power on head or rear end might not be a well-balanced option for this section. It's a relatively big effort, but it seems MRL is very efficient to get this job done. I found this quite impressive. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to film composition and decomposition. The B737 fuselages were a nice treat. I knew I might bump into one of those trains, but it happened within minutes of my arrival in Helena. However, after exploring Marias Pass at Glacier Park in North Montana and traveling south that same day I felt too tired to chase him.

mbmars01 in Australia, Queensland especially, our coal trains usually run mid DPUs rather than front and rear PUs. Its a more efficient operation and takes weight off the front engines making it easier for railways to transport coal. Even our 60 car coal trains with electric power run a mid engine

Yea that's cool. Mid-DPUs on long-distance trains aren't uncommon here, too, but limited to certain lines and trains.

Very cool! It must be nice to live in this area.

I really enjoyed the sound in that valley :) Thanks!

Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.

Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.

Thank you very much. I’m happy you enjoyed watching the video.

They sure have to coordinate their actions via radio.

TRABAJE DE 1972 A 1991

Thanks! Very interesting. Would be cool to watch these engines working.

Thanks. I know, this was really an extraordinary experience to see that train going over the trestle in this valley. MRL has some nice locos.

Let's put it like this: On flat terrain, a train with 100 cars has typically 2 engines. Since many cars are idle at a given time (not attached to a train), a ratio "100 cars per locomotive" could actually indeed be a reasonable estimate.

@@mbmars01 thanks for your reply,I really enjoyed your videos.

Very cool, thanks!

Hunt Gaming/Productions I think you are hearing the blowoff valves for the air compressors.

Thanks!

Thanks! Well, let me dig a bit deeper in history. The line that's featured in this video was built by the Northern Pacific Railway (NP). However, the subdivisions visited in the recent videos were built by the Great Northern Railway (GN) a few years after, establishing an even "more northern" connection to the Pacific coast. Interestingly, both railroads cooperated very well with each other, even operating a third, joint railroad with access to Portland, OR (the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway). In order to make these lines "transcontinental", however, access to Chicago was needed. The link was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which also came under control of GN and NP, but these railroads were not allowed to merge until 1970. Only then, the Burlington Northern (BN) was formed and the lines we're talking about became true "Northern Transcons". The rest of the history is familiar I guess. BN and Santa Fe merged in 1996 to become what is now BNSF. So, both Northern Transcons (and the Southern Transcon) are under control of BNSF, but the former NP main line between Billings, MT and Sandpoint, ID has been operated by Montana Rail Link under lease agreement with BN/BNSF since 1987.

ok Thanks for the information

You're welcome.

I understand you, but it was actually a humid and rainy day - not the best conditions for filming. For some of the footage I needed to protect the camera with an umbrella!

Many thanks, I really appreciate your comment! Keep watching :)

You're welcome!

Thanks! That's an interesting question, but I don't know the answer.

That's a good question and whereas I don't know it for sure, I would think it would be quite reasonable to cut off the other engines.

Thanks, I’m doing good. I use a Panasonic WXF1 camcorder.

Stereo audio I assume

Helper engines are typically manned and controlled by their crew, but DPUs are in control by the engineer in the lead locomotive. Communication is done via radio. Thanks!

Cool, thank you. I guess, the noise you mean is caused by squealing wheels of the cars. The trestle is curved and the wheels are pressed against the track.

mbmars01 geez that gives me a mental image that freaks me out a bit ... but I loved that trestle

Thank you!

Many thanks and greetings back :)

Lol, that's funny.

Thanks!

I know! It might look a bit more dramatic in the video due to optical foreshortening (the track is not only steep but also curved), though.

I believe they stopped production in 2015. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong

Phantom Trains I think they are on tier 4 now or they stopped.

Just stick to your indo

Yeah, seeing these signals was great, although I don't like them when chasing trains, because I can't see the aspect at almost all angles from the road :/

we're to used to the Vader's it's a treat to see Search Lights. I see a semaphore where I live it's been around for awhile though it's a fixed approach.

Very nice. I think we all get delighted seeing historic pieces of railroading trackside...

Cool, thanks.

Oh yes, I loved it. I have no problem with any sort of noise created by trains lol

Many thanks!

That's great, thanks! I use Final Cut Pro X for editing the videos.

I know. I have this in mind for my model railroad layout as well.

something in a N gauge maybe i like the small trains takes up a hell of a lot less room then the old HO's in the house. But i would love to do a G outside the house .

Many thanks.

The weather looks much better in the video than it actually was. It was actually relatively hot, very humid and rainy. Fortunately, it didn't rain during most of the filming.

Many thanks, good you like it!

Many thanks. I appreciate your feedback very much. It's a lot of work to get it right, but if people like, I'm happy. These MRL SD70ACes look awesome in these mountains. Loved watching them in action.

Nah, don't be jealous. Consider it rather an inspiration to make this experience happen for yourself. There are so many interesting places one can go to and watch trains.

It's not so much the size of the train but the grade at this pass that requires those helpers.

@@mbmars01 didn't think of it that way it makes more sense that way you said it

​@@mbmars01can't tell but are they going up or down hill?

The helpers are attached for the uphill ride.

@@mbmars01 cool thanks for the info

Lol, this sounds nice :)

You’re very welcome!

We already had this one lol

Oh 😂😂😂

Conrail?

Great Job

Yaaaay

Appreciated!

Thanks!

Many thanks!

Thanks!

Many thanks 😊

Good you like 'em. Thanks!

Oh I know, I loved the sound there. It was breathtaking.

Some day again... not very soon, though 😕

Thank you for your comment! I'm happy you enjoy watching the videos. I understand your point, but there's hardly much I could change. Larger font means less text and it's already difficult to fit information into a single line. I always suggest to watch the videos on large displays or TV screens (there's so much detail in 4k - it's really worth it). Stopping the video to have more time to read the caption is also an option.

Most of the engineers and conductors are very friendly. Sometimes they give you an extra horn or wave, which is always appreciated. My video recording style is somewhat elaborate and requires a lot of concentration watching the small camera display. Often I see the crews' reaction only when I edit the videos.

Thanks for the response. Great work on your videos. A big part of filming your subject is the surroundings they are in and you do a great job of incorporating both, makes for very entertaining and enjoyable watching. I subbed you, looking forward to more.

Very cool, thank you. I'm happy you like this style. BTW, regarding footage of surroundings, I have a second channel - mbmars02 - which is more like a travel channel with focus on National Parks, cities, landmarks, etc. Maybe you like it, too :)

I'll check it out. I primarily shoot still frame. I enjoy "in the moment" style of photography, meaning no posing or preparing... point and shoot. People, landscape, buildings, gulf of mexico, urban decay and of course portraits, have to make a buck at it when you can. :-) I also secondary that with astrophotography of space and whatever I can capture. Video and photo really is capturing time in a fraction of a second and its fun to go back and see what you actually captured. Trains have always fascinated me (except when stuck at one trying to get to work lol) so that's why I came a cross your channel. Thanks

I understand it! I've done still photography for many years before I got more and more into railroad photography, but I didn't like that the photos didn't capture the dynamics of a train well. After all, trains are moving objects. So I switched to video. Cool, I also did a lot of astrophotography - taking many shots of the same faint object at short exposures to compensate for Earth's rotation and then overlaying them on the computer to reveal the structure of comets, star clusters, or nebulae. It was fun, but a lot of work and I realized I had reached the limits. The next step would have required a small telescope with automatic tracking and a good CCD camera, altogether several thousand $. I wasn't willing to invest this much - with no chance to beat Hubble images anyway :)

Cool, I'm happy you enjoyed it!

Thanks! It's really beautiful out there!

Thanks!

Thanks!

It's easy to find Mullan Pass (Montana) on Google Maps. One can also identify two trestles, one of which is the Skyline Trestle (the other one, more to the north, is called Greenhorn Trestle).

Thanks!

@@mbmars01 your welcome i liked the new CN