Over thirty-four thousand horsepower fight gravity, curvature and trailing tonnage to lift 17,842 tons of Montana's finest black diamonds over the 2.2% grade of the Northern Pacific route over Mullan Pass. While the pass is 5,902 feet above sea-level, Montana Rail Link's 3rd Subdivision crosses at 5,566 feet via the famed Mullan Tunnel. The pass was named after Lieutenant John Mullan, the army engineer who first crossed the pass on March 22, 1854 and the NP finished their route in 1883. NP primarily used the line for freight, and their secondary passenger train, the Mainstreeter.
Mullan Pass is what makes the MRL (and Northern Pacific) my favorite railroad and it only takes one visit to see why.
