WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link have reached a trackage rights agreement that will permit BNSF to operate three of the regional railroad’s branch lines.
BNSF in March won Surface Transportation Board approval to resume operation of lines it leased to MRL in 1987. The branch lines that MRL acquired from Burlington Northern, however, were not included as part of the early termination of MRL’s lease of the former Northern Pacific main line in Montana and Idaho.
The local and overhead trackage rights agreement, filed with the STB on Monday, cover Montana Rail Link’s 5th, 6th, and 13th subdivisions in Montana. The trackage totals 65.7 miles.
The 5th Subdivision runs from Logan to Spire Rock, the 6th from Sappington to Harrison, and the 13th from East Helena to Montana City.
MRL will retain ownership of the branches, while BNSF will provide service over the trackage.
No date has been given for when BNSF will take over MRL’s operations.
It would be nice if that map were readable. How about a link to the high resolution source file.
I don’t know what the traffic is on any of these branches and why MRL wouldn’t just operate them.