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Tuesday, July 15th:
A busy day today. First, the all-day tour from Helena to Butte. As we set off,
we pass the little East Helena depot (NP) in the process of being moved.
We follow the last remaining GN track between Helena and Montana City. From
there south, the track has been removed.
We roar past an ex-GN depot of some kind at 70 per! More about that
later...
First stop today is the impressive trestle at Corbin. A local resident has the
old
station sign on one of his buildings.
     
Second stop is the Boulder Tunnel (elevation 6,145 feet) which has a nice little
stream coming out the south portal.
     
Third stop is for a group shot at the Continental Divide sign (elevation 6,364
feet), the HIGHEST point on the Great Northern Railway. As the group is lined
up, I can't resist indulging in a "selfie".
  
Down the hill and into Butte, we stop first at the old GN Roundhouse, formerly
in use as a cabinetry shop and now for sale!
   
Time for lunch! What more appropriate place than the ex-GN depot in Butte?
    
Now time to walk round the depot for some pictures. Would you like to own a GN
depot? It can be yours for just under $400k!
   
Our final stop this afternoon, we load onto school buses at the depot for a ride
over to the Washington Corporation open pit mine. First, we see how the ore is
processed.
      
Next, we ride down into the pit to see the rock loaded into massive dump trucks.
  
Riding back to the depot, we pass by the ex-NP and ex-Milwaukee Road depots...
 
Heading back to Helena, we once again pass that red depot (along with Lindsay
Drilling) at top speed.
Per a quick google of "Lindsay Drilling Montana", it
turned out to be the Clancy, MT depot ("All right, Clancy, take the boys and
surround the house!!")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_and_Thugs
After a quick supper, we are again off on the bus for the Model Railroad tour of
Helena. Just after loading, a tremendous rain storm hits Helena. We see a river
of water flowing down the street and sewers overflowing. Luckily, by the time
our bus makes its first stop, the skies have cleared and everything is
relatively dry.
  
Second stop is at "Helena Jct." and a very large layout.
    
Final stop tonight is way over in Montana City. We are visiting the wonderful
outdoor layout of the Pearson family (MYT RR).
  
We walk the railroad and see an engine house.
  
Next we inspect a live steam locomotive in their garage.
I walk through their lighted tunnel and check out their other equipment
   
Ron and son wish us goodbye and we prepare to head off. Thanks for the look
around, fellas!
 
 
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