Dunbar & Wausaukee officals today announced the sale of the D&W to the Mullan Pass Railway.

The Mullan Pass Railway is a holding company that currently operates the Montana Rail Link, an FRA Class II regional railroad with more than 900 miles of track serving 100 stations in the states of Montana, Idaho and Washington, and employs approximately 1,000 people. In operation is a fleet of more than 2,100 freight cars and 176 locomotives.

The Montana Rail Link connects with the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) at Laurel and Garrison, Montana and Spokane, Washington and the Union Pacific Railroad at Sandpoint, Idaho.

Negotiations are complete and the sale is now pending the aprroval of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). 

Mullan Pass Railway offiicials are hopeful for a quick approval. "We plan to run the D&W as is for at least the first year" noted a MPRW spokesman. "While there should be no changes in operations, some MRL equipment may find its way to the D&W. Mainly locomotives."

The recent upgrades to the railroad and increase in rail traffic made the D&W a logical target for regional railroad companies looking to expand. With the Class 1 railroads dumping all but their mainlines, many "super regionals" have popped up to handle local switching and short hauls.  

You can learn about the Mullan Pass Railway at  http://mullanpass.googlepages.com/