MRL-SP 4449 Day 1

Drew Mitchem and myself were attending Alta-Mont in Essex, Montana, but left early Saturday night to spend the night in Libby. That next morning we headed south to intercept the steam special at Noxon, MT. We set up at the east end of the siding to catch the train working up the grade here, after coming off a 10mph slow order on the bridge over the Clark Fork River. The train was running behind due to some trouble loading passengers in Sandpoint, so we waited. The H-PASKCK, which was running ahead of the steam train, passed by at least half an hour before we saw the steam train. In a interesting twist, a grain train that was running behind the special, was allowed to run around the special at Noxon. This was a perfect setup for us, as we would catch the 4449 leaving the siding from a stop while on a grade. The perfect situation for my video camera. Below is the trip report for the first day, which unfortunately was rather cloudy. We need to give Montana Rockies Rail Tours a big "Thank You" for running the train.
	The grain train running around the steam special at the east end of Noxon, Montana.
	The SP 4449 getting into gear and pulling the heavy train upgrade from a dead stop. The booster engine on the rear truck was in gear as well to help get the train moving.
	Doyle was leaning out the window quite far, taking in all the glory of his baby doing what she does best, at least until she slipped on the switch frog. In this view he has just slammed the throttle closed to regain traction.
	Crossing Highway 200 east of Trout Creek.
	The train crossing the Thompson River west of Thompson Falls, Montana.
	And a little further through the "S"-curve off the bridge.
	Between Eddy and Weeksville in mountain goat country.
	Blasting through Plains, Montana.
	Running through the narrow gorge of the Clark Fork River east of St. Regis.
	Dave Franz deserves all the credit for this photo. He did a excellent job clearing trees and brush away from this location, opening up this angle of a rarely photographed semaphore.
	Passing the Westfall station sign.
	The steam train crossing one of the more obscure places on the Montana Rail Link...the Fish Creek Trestle.
	Across the Clark Fork from Alberton, Montana, a one time Milwaukee Road division point.
	East of Alberton, the special glides upstream along the rather smooth river.
	And if there was any doubt about which river it was, this should prove it.
	Coming off the plains around Frenchtown, Montana.
	A closer view.
	A small herd of deer is scared away by the mechanical monster.
	MRL 391 is used to spot the passenger cars near the station after the SP 4449 cut away.
>>>Proceed on to Day 2<<<

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Webpage Created : 10-14-2004