The Milwaukee operated a branch line north out of Bonner, MT (east of Missoula) that was called the Big Blackfoot Line. The Blackfoot broke off the main line at Bonner Jct. It was mostly abandoned in 1977. It was resurrected in the Bonner area several years ago when Montana Rail Link put rail back in to reach the dam site at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers. There was contaminated soil in front of the dam that had to be removed before the damn could be taken down. The soil was years of accumulation that flowed with the waters downstream from the mining operations around places like Butte. The contaminated soil was dredged, dried and loaded into gons and shipped by rail to a processing facility. There is a walking/hiking trail on part of the old right of way to the south which is presently closed as the area is still designated as a superfund sight. The area is supposed to be tested this year again with the hope that the trail might open sometime this year.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 03:44:30 +0000
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