FL9

In today’s chapter of our October 2006 Montana trip, we will finally finish off Saturday the 14th.  After leaving the rugged beauty of Lake McDonald behind, Judy and I started back towards Essex along Highway 2.  The radio indicated we had two eastbound trains coming up behind us, so I pulled over at a spot known as “Ken’s Curve,” named after a forest service employee and railfan who cleared out the trees to open up this view before his tragic death in a plane crash a few years ago.  I would really have liked to catch a westbound train here, but it was not in the cards for this afternoon.  The first eastbound was an empty grain train.

I went vertical for the second view to show the depth of the canyon here.

The second eastbound was not far behind, and turned out to be an intermodal.

I zoomed in on him just before he entered the short tunnel.

One more shot showing his reflection in the river.

We headed on back to Essex and the Isaak Walton for dinner.  Just before arriving at the Inn, We stopped for this view just before sunset looking east up Ole Creek.

The forecast for the next two days included a good chance of rain, so after dinner and returning to the caboose, I ventured out for a few night shots.  I set up my tripod on the steel pedestrian bridge just in time to get this shot of westbound Amtrak 7 running about 90 minutes late as he pulled away from the Essex flag stop.

Not far behind the Empire Builder was a westbound loaded grain train, and I set up for a time exposure of the lights on the DPU as it receded in the distance towards Whitefish.

One final exposure of the Inn itself capped off the session, and then I retreated to the warmth of the caboose.

Next time we will pick up with Sunday’s adventures.