The Homestake Pass Line

Logan to Garrison, MT

The Homestake Pass Line, running from Garrison, MT to Logan, MT via Butte and Homestake Pass, was built in 1888 by the Northern Pacific Railway and owned by Burlington Northern starting in 1970. The Homestake Pass Line saw both passenger and freight traffic during its time in service. While not officially abandoned, the line has been inactive since 1983, and is currently owned by the BNSF Railway. Today, large portions of the line remain intact, although the rails are severed just east of Butte, MT and many road crossings have been paved over.

This is the Northern Pacific Homestake Pass line. The rails stil...
This is the Northern Pacific Homestake Pass line. The rails still seem to be intact over the pass, but are severed right before they reach Butte, MT. Photo by Peter Lewis.
The inactive portion of the Homestake Pass Line is highlighted o...
The inactive portion of the Homestake Pass Line is highlighted on this screenshot of Google Maps satellite imagery. The green circle indicates the area where the photograph appears to have been taken. (Click for a larger view) (Submitted by Jason Hindley)
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