Along the Northern Pacific
This line was actually part of the Burlington Northern by this time, but was formerly the Northern Pacific; the locale is at Pompey’s Pillar, in eastern Montana. We’re traveling alongside the Yellowstone River (which is on the other side of the eastbound train) as well as the path of Clark’s return. Apparently, the stone formation was named for Sacagawea’s son, whom Clark affectionately called Little Pomp.
The signal type is the semaphore—which is in the process of dropping from clear down to stop. These signals are nearly extinct now, save for a few active ones on the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in New Mexico. The train is Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha, the name of which honors a famous train of the Northern Pacific as well as one from the Milwaukee Road—its long distance route involves both railroads.
One image by Richard Koenig; the date is August of 1979.
