Distinctly Montana Magazine

56 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 far as Tacoma and Albuquerque reported on the frantic rescue effort. A few days later, the two men's bodies were recovered from the icy wreckage. In a particularly gruesome detail, the Columbia Falls newspaper reported that the tips of one of the men's fingers had been worn off from "clawing in the snow and dirt trying to effect his release." Few pieces of railroad in Montana are as challenging to keep open in winter as Marias Pass near Glacier National Park. One reason is that it runs right through what is called "Avalanche Al- ley," just east of Essex. Every few years, a major avalanche will come down the steep slopes above the rail line. Sometimes the snow stops short of the tracks, but other times it reaches the right- of-way. To protect areas that are particularly prone to avalanche activity, the Great Northern Railway built "snowsheds" over the tracks. Great Northern's successor, BNSF Railway, also employs avalanche forecasters who help predict when snow slides could occur, allowing the railroad to stop trains before an accident. Today, Essex is the base of operations for BNSF's battle against snow in Montana. The railroad uses several tools to keep the tracks clear. The most common is a plow attached to a piece of maintenance-of-way equipment, which can be operated by one person early in the season when the snow isn't that deep. When the white stuff starts to pile up, the railroad will deploy what's called a flanger. The car is pulled behind a locomotive and has a blade that drops down between the rails to throw snow on either side. On the Great Northern, this piece of equipment was called a "dozer," but today's railroaders call them "Flyers." When that equipment is overwhelmed, BNSF will dispatch a Jordan Spreader to clear snow. The spreader is pushed by a locomotive and has a plow in front and huge wings on either side to push the snow back even farther than the flanger. This also clears areas along the tracks, just in case employees need to walk along and inspect a train. www.roundhouse-sports.com • 406.587.1258 Fu-svice bike • ski shop Two Locations 1422 West Main Street Bozeman • Bridger Bowl Family-0wn† Kˆp‰g Y‹ OutsiŽ S‰ce 1971 Spring offerings: Mountain bikes, rafts, SUPs, camping gear Take a walk through Butte's History. Scan the QR Code to visit storyofbutte.org or download the app. E xplore B utte history fro m the com fort of your phon e

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