State Rail Network

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Class I Railroads

BNSF Railway 2,625
Union Pacific 125
Total 2,750

Short Line Railroads

Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railroad 26
Central Montana Rail 87
Dakota, Missouri Valley, & Western Railroad 57
Mission Mountain Railroad 26
Montana Rail Link (now part of BNSF) 807
Total 1,003
2022 Source: Association of American Railroads (AAR). Data represents most recent available annual reporting. AAR Logo

Moving Montana's Economy. Connecting Communities.

With the Treasure State’s population forecast to grow by more than 60 percent between 2005 and 2030, freight transportation demand can be expected to rise sharply.

Originating

Top Commodities Originating
Coal 21.3M Tons | 177.2K Cars
Grain 4.1M Tons | 37.9K Cars
Petroleum Products 2.9M Tons | 31.8K Cars
Food Products 0.6M Tons | 6K Cars
Lumber & Wood Products 0.5M Tons | 5K Cars
Other 3M Tons | 33.4K Cars
291.3K Total Cars
32.4M Total Tons

Received

Top Commodities Received / Terminated
Petroleum Products 1.6M Tons | 18.2K Cars
Chemicals 0.7M Tons | 7.3K Cars
Food Products 0.5M Tons | 5.4K Cars
Stone, Clay & Glass Products 0.2M Tons | 2.3K Cars
Grain 0.2M Tons | 1.8K Cars
Other 1.1M Tons | 20K Cars
55K Total Cars
4.3M Total Tons
MONTANA'S

State Grants

Montana Essential Freight Rail Loan Program

Rail

Join the movement in support of freight rail in your state and across North America.

Why Freight Rail Matters

Supports Manufacturing Icon

Supports Manufacturing

Rail connects manufacturers with suppliers and customers across North America, efficiently moving raw materials and finished goods.

Strengthens Agriculture Icon

Strengthens Agriculture

Rail helps move crops, forest products, fertilizers and other agricultural goods efficiently and affordably.

Reduces Congestion Icon

Reduces Congestion

Moving freight by rail removes trucks from highways, helping reduce traffic and wear on road infrastructure.

Protects the Environment Icon

Protects the Environment

Freight rail is significantly more fuel efficient than moving freight by truck, helping reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Rail at Work

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Innovation and Technology

Op-ed: Montana’s transportation future should reward innovation, not hold it back

Helena, MT — Todd O’Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, discusses the importance of protecting Montana's freight network from prescriptive federal…

Safety

FRA Data Shows Major Rail Safety Gains in 2025

Washington, D.C. – New data from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) shows 2025 was a historic year for freight rail safety. Accident and injury rates…

Policy Issues

Rail Policy Landscape in the 117th Congress

Washington, D.C. — As the 117th Congress dives into its work—and committee assignments and leadership roles have been finalized—we now know more about the key…

Featured Rail Supply Companies

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44 percent
decrease
in rail rates on average from 1981 to today.

That means the average rail customer today can ship significantly more freight for about the same price they paid 40 years ago. 

State Director

Montana
Brett Sebastian

Brett Sebastian

National Field Director

Brett Sebastian joined GoRail in August 2019 and oversees its operations in the Central United States and Pennsylvania.

Get to know Brett