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"The Last Best Place" slogan certainly describes well the huge state of Montana that stretches some 630 miles across. Three railroad main lines once spanned its width, but the unfortunate abandonment of the Milwaukee Road left only the Great Northern and Northern Pacific routes, now Burlington Northern, to move the tonnage. Union Pacific also reached into the state from Utah in the south-west, the earliest line built into the territory by predecessors arriving in mineral-rich Butte in 1881. Today, over 3,000 miles of track crosses Montana under Big Sky Country, climbing magnificent mountain passes and sweeping across great prairies that prevail in the eastern portion of the territory. Dynamic BNSF dominates the railroad scene, with remarkable Montana Rail Link providing an important link in Montana railroading. UP and several short line provide added color to the trains in the Treasure State, making the railroads of Montana a visual gem.
