Marias Pass is part of the former Great Northern (now BNSF) Hi-Line through Montana on the BNSF Northern Transcon between Chicago and Seattle. The route skirts the southern edge of Montana's famous Glacier National Park. The line starts at the yard in Shelby, MT and runs up the grade to the summit. Then at Columbia Falls, the line splits off to the Kalispell Branch where BNSF serves the industries there. Amtrak's Empire Builder also uses this route. The Montana Rail Link RR is also using this route since a bridge collapsed. The route has both single and double track sections. The full line from Shelby to Whitefish, including the 13 miles to Kalispell is 152 miles (which is a bit long for TSW4). This route was made for the original Microsoft Train Simulator back in the day (I own that game, and loved the route). TS Classic also has a version of Marias Pass. Locations of interest: -Whitefish Yard -Shelby Yard -Bridges, tunnels, and snowsheds -Glacier Park -Cut Bank grain silos -Essex (Helper locos are stored here) -Columbia Falls and Kalispell industries Possible locos to include (all of these could be seen on Cajon Pass as well): -BNSF ET44C4: the Tier 4-compliant version of the ES44C4 in game on Cajon -BNSF C44-9W: an engine that needs to be included in the game; included in the original MSTS game -BNSF GP39-3: rebuilt GP30 and GP35 units originally owned by BN and its predecessors (GP39M/E/Vs); now owned by BNSF and rebuilt with modernized engines and electrical systems -Amtrak Siemens ALC-42 Charger: to recreate the innaugural run of the Empire Builder with Amtrak's new passenger locos (a great scenario on this route) -Amtrak P42DC Genesis: Marias Pass is the perfect route to introduce this engine or the ALC-42 Charger -Montana Rail Link SD70ACe: MRL uses 16 of these modern diesels for heavy freight trains Rolling Stock: -Grain Hoppers -Well Cars -Boeing Fuselage Train Cars (a consist I really want to see in game; BNSF runs Boeing fuselages between Kansas and Washington. The trains were transported via MRL until a bridge collapsed) -Coal Hoppers/Gondolas -Woodchip Gondolas -Centerbeam Flat Cars -Steel Coil Cars -Modern Box Cars -57' Modern Reefers BN and GN DLC Packs: It would be nice to see a few GN or BN diesels on this route, since GN was the original operator of the line, and when BN was created from the merger of GN, NP, and CB&Q in 1970, they took over operations on the route. GN Locos: -F45: ordered by GN to protect crews from Marias Pass's cold weather in winter -SDP45: used on GN's Empire Builder -SW1500: a yard switcher for the route -Baldwin VO-1000: another yard switcher -GP35: for local/switching operations; rebuilt into GP39-2s by BN in the 1980s -U33C: for heavy freight services BN Locos: -F45: BN ordered these engines, too; part of a second order by GN just before the merger -GP39E/M/V: rebuilt GP30s (ex-GN, CB&Q, Frisco, and other RRs; E: EMD; M: Morrison-Knudsen; V: VMV -SW1500: yard switcher -U30C or U33C: for heavy freight services -SD45: From predecessor RRs
