By Justin Franz 

A decade after it had the largest fleet in the land, the SD45 era on Montana Rail Link is coming to a rapid close. 

With the BNSF Railway takeover just days away, MRL has been scrapping surplus equipment at its shop in Livingston, Mont., including at least three SD45 locomotives last week: Nos. 346 (ex-N&W 1779), 351 (ex-GN 415) and 382 (ex-SCL 2029). Some GP9 locomotives have also recently been scrapped.

As of this week, only one SD45 remains in service, locomotive 355, which was built as Burlington Northern 6558. It is presently in work train service. 

At one time, MRL rostered more than six dozen SD45 and SD45-2 locomotives. Many were used in helper service on Bozeman and Mullan passes, but they were occasionally leased out to other railroads. The fleet’s last hurrah came between 2013 and 2015, when they were used to move BNSF run-through trains between Laurel, Mont., and Spokane, Wash. 

BNSF is expected to assume control of MRL on January 1, 2024.