Montana
Long-Distance Rail Route Through Southern Montana Garners Another Nod From Feds
A Chicago-to-Seattle passenger rail route that passes through some of Montana’s most populous counties has been included in a list of 15 long-distance routes tapped for restoration by the federal government. The development marks the second time federal regulators have spotlighted the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority’s efforts to bring additional passenger train service to Montana.
During a meeting on Feb. 8, the Federal Railroad Administration also provided a bit more detail on where the North Coast Hiawatha service might stop if Amtrak ultimately restores the route, landing on service through Helena rather than Butte.
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, which was formed in 2020 under an obscure, century-old piece of Montana law to advocate for expanded passenger rail service through southern Montana, said the development is a “very strong signal” that federal authorities are invested in a restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha route.
“There’s a lot of momentum building behind restoring this route,” BSPRA vice chair and Dawson County Economic Development Council member Jason Stuart told Montana Free Press. “We’re really excited about where we’re at.”
Stuart said the North Coast Hiawatha Route was one of the strongest candidates for restored service because it stands to benefit sparsely populated communities with few options to connect with hospitals, colleges, urban centers and veteran services beyond “getting in a car and driving hundreds of miles.”
“In terms of connecting rural, disadvantaged communities and tribal communities, it shows the best performance metrics of any of the routes in achieving those goals,” Stuart said. “This is going to be such an enormous boost for rural communities to have this service restored.”
Stuart, who also serves on the Glendive City Council, noted that the North Coast Hiawatha route was the only one identified in the long-distance study that was also chosen for the FRA’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, which came with $500,000 of initial funding that will enable BSPRA to start getting a handle on the logistical, financial and ridership details required to restore the route, which was discontinued in 1979. Stuart said the BSPRA’s inclusion in that program puts BSPRA in the funding pipeline for millions of dollars of funding as the project advances.
Put those two developments together, he said, and “it means a lot.”
Stuart said he anticipates that the FRA will present its report on the long-distance study to Congress by the end of the year.
“That’s very important because this is the Federal Railroad Administration – the agency that handles both passenger and freight rail traffic – telling Congress, ‘We think you should restore this route,’” he said.
Both the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study and the Corridor ID program are funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included more than $8 billion for passenger rail projects.
Once completed, the report will demonstrate the economic and social benefits of new and restored Amtrak service and provide guidance on implementation, according to FRA spokesperson William Wong.
There’s been some uncertainty as to the precise location the North Coast Hiawatha route might take as it travels between Glendive and Missoula, and that piece of the puzzle is coming into focus. Per the FRA’s presentation, which includes a further-analysis-is-needed disclaimer, the preferred route will pass through Helena rather than Butte. The line east of Butte, over Homestake Pass, has been out of service for decades, meaning it would be a heavier lift to get that section of railroad in shape for regular use.
Stuart said BSPRA intends to continue to advocate for rail service to Butte as part of a larger goal to “bring passenger rail service to as many Montana communities as possible.”
“At the end of the day, we won’t consider our work completed until both Helena and Butte have access to rail service, and we would even include Great Falls and Shelby on that list, as well,” Stuart said.
The North Coast Hiawatha route isn’t the only proposal expanding Montanans’ access to passenger rail that was incorporated in the FRA’s presentation: a route between Billings and El Paso, Texas, also made the cut.
Stuart said he anticipates that the Long-Distance Service Study Working Group will meet again within the next four months. The FRA is taking comments on its list of preferred routes through March 8 at contactus@fralongdistancerailstudy.org.
POCATELLO, Idaho — It will go down as a Forever Team, only the second in program history, the type that gets remembered by a number, by a year, by a season.
First, it was 2017, the team that won the Big Sky tournament title in Ogden, Utah, in just the program’s third year of existence, catching the fancy of Griz fans who love a winner.
Now, 2026 joins the short list, not necessarily for what it won but for how it took back a program, taking it from mediocrity to within a few plays of challenging for another tournament championship.
That journey, which had more rough patches than smooth ones early before becoming one that won’t be forgotten, came to an end Wednesday.
After rallying from a pair of four-run deficits to knock off No. 2 Northern Colorado 11-7, Montana, the No. 4 seed, fell to No. 3 Sacramento State 10-7 at the Big Sky Conference Championship.
The Hornets advance to face No. 1 Idaho State for a championship on Thursday while Montana leaves us with dueling emotions: ‘How fun was that?’ mixed with ‘How long until next season starts?’
That’s what Forever Teams do.
“The run they made throughout the course of Big Sky play and this tournament is something that will last forever,” said coach Stef Ewing, who took her program from eight wins in 2025 to 22 this season.
“It was a really special experience to be with this group and see all the things they accomplished and how many streaks and records they broke. Big Mama Bear is proud of them.”
Montana rode the right arm of Carah Sweet hard over the back half of the season, and the sophomore consistently delivered.
The Grizzlies looked again to Sweet in Pocatello, giving her the start against Weber State, then Idaho State, then Portland State, against whom she threw a complete game on Tuesday.
She got the start against Northern Colorado on Wednesday and faced four batters who went single, home run, double, home run. It wasn’t the desired outcome but it wasn’t surprising either.
The Grizzlies trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the first before they had even recorded an out.
“Carah was incredible this whole tournament. She pitched her heart out until her arm couldn’t go in a circle anymore,” said Ewing.
“We knew we were going to run her out there and see what we could get, with (Kaiana) Kong ready to go. It wasn’t a problem. We knew we could score some runs, too.”
It wasn’t that long ago that Montana fell behind at Weber State 6-0 and didn’t panic. Rather, the Grizzlies stuck to their game plan and above all else just believed. Final: Montana 11, Weber State 6.
Montana got a run back against the Bears in the top of the second on a JoJo Christiaens home run, then gave up another run in the bottom of the second to fall behind 5-1.
Anyone not in Montana’s dugout was likely thinking the same thing: uh-oh, this isn’t looking good. What was happening in the dugout was another story.
“The hitters were coming back and saying, we can hit this pitcher,” said Ewing. “The in-dugout conversations were incredible. There was no doubt we were going to get it done.
“The kids knew they were going to be fine. You just let them go do their thing and make the adjustments they need to make.”
Montana tied it with four runs in the third, on a Chloe Saxton sacrifice fly, on a Christiaens RBI double, on a two-run single by Mackenzie Bekofsky, then took the lead for good in the fourth.
Jessica Cherms, who put together Montana’s third four-hit game of the season against the Bears, tripled down the right-field line and Grace Lopez got her home with a ground-out.
It’s hard to say whether Northern Colorado was more shell-shocked by Montana’s counter-punch or the Bears’ inability to do much of anything against Kong, who replaced Sweet in the bottom of the first.
After the Bears went up 5-1, Kong allowed no hits in the third, no hits in the fourth, no hits in the fifth, no hits in the sixth. “She came in and was phenomenal,” said Ewing.
The death blow came in the top of the fifth, in the form of a three-run home run by Lopez that had Northern Colorado centerfielder KK Christie throwing her glove to the ground in frustration.
When Lopez emphatically stomped on home plate, it was the last of 10 straight runs for Montana that had the Grizzlies up 11-5.
Christie led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run and the Bears later added an RBI ground-out as Ewing went from Kong to Audri Elias to get the game’s final three outs.
It was the most runs scored by the Grizzlies against the Bears since 2017, Forever Teams finding common ground.
Lopez drove in four, the ninth time this season a Montana player has driven in as many. Christiaens had her fourth three-hit game of the season, Kong collected her sixth win.
And then there were only three left standing: Montana, Sacramento State and Idaho State, though the Bengals had the winners-bracket advantage of sitting and watching on Wednesday.
Montana’s fifth game of the tournament felt like the 10th round of a hard-fought fight. You knew the Grizzlies would keep swinging, but could they keep the fresher Hornets from doing the same thing?
“Our pitchers by that point had all thrown a lot,” said Ewing. “We were just trying to figure out who could get us some outs.”
Elias got the start and pitched herself both into and out of trouble in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with nobody out but only allowing one run, on a hit-by-pitch.
Montana scored once in the top of the first to go up 1-0, Lopez doubling, Saxton RBI singling, and left the bases loaded, as Sacramento State did in the bottom of the first.
Montana’s last lead of the game came in the top of the second, 2-1, and came in similar fashion, Lopez hitting a double, Saxton driving her in with a single.
Lopez would end her sophomore season, in which she hit .368, going 3 for 4. Saxton also would go 3 for 4 in her final game in a Montana uniform, the lone senior on this year’s team.
Montana walked four batters in the first two innings and hit another, allowing the Hornets to go up 4-1 while hitting three singles.
“The walks and hit-by-pitches were just crippling,” said Ewing. “We just gave them some runs.”
Sacramento State began pulling away from there, adding two in the fourth, one in the fifth, three in the sixth to go up 10-3.
But Forever Teams don’t just concede. Hailey Boer had a pinch-hit double and scored in the top of the sixth.
In the seventh, Bekofsky hit a two-run home run, Montana’s program-record 51st of the season. Then Brianna Gutierrez singled and Cherms doubled to left-center to bring up the top of the order.
Could they do it again? They could, almost. Lopez singled to center to drive in two but the game ended with her trying to get to third, striving to do just a little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more.
“Love this team’s fight. They never stop playing until the final out. We made some mistakes but we just keep going. We made every swing count and every out count,” said Ewing.
Montana’s one and two hitters in the lineup had six hits. Four, five and six all had two. In between was Anna Cockhill who went 0 for 3 with three line-drive outs that Hornets will be feeling in the morning.
“They said they were going to come out here today and empty the tank, and they did,” said Ewing. “We came up short but it was a great day for Griz Softball and a great Big Sky tournament for Griz Softball.
“If some line drives fall, we could still be playing. It’s bittersweet that it’s over but an incredible run and incredible job by these kids.”
The first Forever Team, in 2017, showed what the Montana softball program is capable of. The next Forever Team rekindled that belief, with all those underclassmen carrying that torch forward.
“We talked from the beginning about changing this program,” said Ewing. “It started with these kids showing up every day and just doing it. They bought in and believed it.
“We have some great kids and some great leaders. I’m thankful for what they’ve done for this program. It hurts that it’s over but the future is bright.”
Camaree Uljua, Belgrade’s director of Public Works, said that the city will now advance to American Waterworks Association national conference in Washington D.C., but the victory comes with another valuable perk.
“We have a bit of a lighthearted rivalry with Bozeman and some of the bigger cities in the state,” Uljua said. “It’s kind of bragging rights.”
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 5, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 5 drawing
12-22-50-51-55, Mega Ball: 10
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 5 drawing
03-06-12-18, Bonus: 11
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 5 drawing
14-20-23-30-55, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Kansas3 minutes agoKansas City, Kansas, becomes sister city to Concepción, Argentina, ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
-
Kentucky9 minutes agoKentucky Kingdom opens May 9. See hours, dates, ticket costs, holiday events
-
Louisiana15 minutes agoLouisiana proposal looks to avoid critter clashes over rescued wildlife
-
Maine21 minutes agoIconic Maine Diner property going to auction — unless owner can stop it
-
Maryland27 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 6, 2026
-
Michigan33 minutes agoCritical Michigan basketball roles could be filled by unsung returners
-
Massachusetts39 minutes agoEastern Mass. boys’ lacrosse: Players of the Week for April 29-May 5 – The Boston Globe
-
Minnesota45 minutes agoSan Antonio vs. Minnesota, Final Score: Spurs’ defense strangles Timberwolves, 133-95