FORT WORTH, Texas — Montana Rail Link officially became a fallen flag on Jan. 1 when the regional railroad ceased operations and became BNSF Railway’s MRL Subdivision.
Burlington Northern leased the former Northern Pacific main line from Jones Junction, Mont., to Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1987. In January 2022 BNSF and MRL announced an agreement to terminate the 60-year lease early, pending regulatory approval.
“We’re excited about the years ahead working together as one team,” Luke Johnson, general manager of BNSF’s Montana Division, said in a statement. “Our combined forces will have a unique opportunity to build upon the best-in-class service our customers throughout the Montana region have come to expect.”
MRL grew to become a critical segment of BNSF’s routes from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest as part of NP’s “Main Street of the Northwest” main line.
Last summer, BNSF joined forces with 32 MRL employees following the bridge collapse and derailment at Reeds Point, Mont.
“Working through the bridge issue reminded us just how much we rely on the MRL team,” Aaron Ratledge, BNSF’s assistant vice president, Safety Practices and Rules, said in a statement. “The integration of MRL into our operations team will be a great fit. They have extremely positive attitudes and a great work ethic.”
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