The weather and results therefrom

In our area, most of the flooding has been no more than hot air. A few pastures or farm fields puddled or slightly worse. Streams are flowing within what has been long their traditional watercourses. A few cottonwoods have their ankles wet and a lot of water is coming down from the Rockies. But as for real flooding, well, much further east is where BNSF, MRL and others are being heavily hit.

We were up on Marias Pass today and BNSF was keeping very busy with drainage issues, primarily west slope. Plugged or overflowed culverts, some ballast sluiced away or needing a bit of rip-rap replaced. Plenty enough to keep many crews busy and some folks nervous. There was a very nice waterfall coming over the top of Snowshed 7. Afternoon seemed to see most situations cleared away and trains were coming through in both directions. The worst trouble we encountered on the east slope was a bit of ballasting at Bison and a backed up beaver dam was flooding some brushland a few hundred feet south of the tracks. Beautiful blue skies at East Glacier!

Because of recent soggy weather and driving costs, at Essex there were few travelers visiting and we could have almost set up camp right on the foot bridge to the southwest side. We met a pair of fans at Bison who seemed none too friendly, which is very odd, especially to Montanans, who find such snubbery a bit distasteful. Ended up chasing a piggy-stacker all the way from East Glacier to Belton (West Glacier.) With a nice rolling meet at Belton.

Maybe, just maybe summer is near and there will be additional such days.....

Boxcab E50