Goodbye Friends
I'll be going now...
Hyperbole aside, this will be my last post for awhile (for a positive reason). Tomorrow will be my last day in Montana, and I debated over which shot to symbolize it with. I settled on the real final shot I ever took out here. It truly symbolizes a lot. Seen ripping along the 4th Sub back home to Missoula, the first opportunity (opportunity vs doing it is another discussion I suppose) I had to shoot the business train is also the last time it would ever run. The railroad would fall 8 days later. The cars will certainly haul passengers again, but will never again be carrying the flag of Montana's proudest company. The trip was to celebrate the retirement of the Vice President, with his entire career served at MRL. For me though, it celebrated the end of one lifetime, and the beginning of another in the not so distant future. In the nine months following this shot, I haven't felt the urge to pick up the camera, save for a fun trip into Moab. It's just not the same. The 4300's are gone, both of the immaculate 4406/4408 on this train, along with all the other 4400's are now unrecognizable in Helena Helper service, the SD45's have been cut up (355 remains), the 355, 290 and all the GP9's sit in a deadline at Livingston. Even the gas train no longer takes the 10th Sub westbound, one of the best chases in the country. No MRL power leads mainline trains anymore, save for a few locals. The party is truly over, at least for me. I'm fortunate to have been able to document so much of this railroad, the good and the bad. When people talk about ol big blue and tell how things were, I don't need to listen... I lived it. See you on the other side!!
Goodbye Friends
I'll be going now...
Hyperbole aside, this will be my last post for awhile (for a positive reason). Tomorrow will be my last day in Montana, and I debated over which shot to symbolize it with. I settled on the real final shot I ever took out here. It truly symbolizes a lot. Seen ripping along the 4th Sub back home to Missoula, the first opportunity (opportunity vs doing it is another discussion I suppose) I had to shoot the business train is also the last time it would ever run. The railroad would fall 8 days later. The cars will certainly haul passengers again, but will never again be carrying the flag of Montana's proudest company. The trip was to celebrate the retirement of the Vice President, with his entire career served at MRL. For me though, it celebrated the end of one lifetime, and the beginning of another in the not so distant future. In the nine months following this shot, I haven't felt the urge to pick up the camera, save for a fun trip into Moab. It's just not the same. The 4300's are gone, both of the immaculate 4406/4408 on this train, along with all the other 4400's are now unrecognizable in Helena Helper service, the SD45's have been cut up (355 remains), the 355, 290 and all the GP9's sit in a deadline at Livingston. Even the gas train no longer takes the 10th Sub westbound, one of the best chases in the country. No MRL power leads mainline trains anymore, save for a few locals. The party is truly over, at least for me. I'm fortunate to have been able to document so much of this railroad, the good and the bad. When people talk about ol big blue and tell how things were, I don't need to listen... I lived it. See you on the other side!!