The Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls hosted its annual “Fun Run” where train enthusiasts of all ages could experience the museums expansive model train layouts in action, and run their own trains on the track.

Montana Museum of Railroad History lets visitors get hands-on

Former president of the Montana Museum of Railroad History, Dean Zook says the Fun Run is an event where “we invite people, especially somebody who got a train set for Christmas to come bring and run the train here on the layout in the club layout. You get a nice train set, it runs on a loop around the tree. That’s fine. But you bring it here, you can send it down a long, straight railway into a tunnel, out across the bridge, to see what model railroading is really all about.”

In a hands-on opportunity, members of the Great Falls Model Railroad club showed visitors how to set up, power, and control the trains on the expansive track, representing the Montana railroad.

Zook says, “Not only is there running the trains, there’s building the track, building the buildings around it, putting down the scenery. Certainly there’s all of the electronics and wiring.”

A few members were running trains using a relatively new system, called Digital Command and Control, where multiple trains could be run on the track at once, independently of each other. Previously, the trains were controlled with a controller that had to be plugged in, but now, they can control the trains using software on their phones.

The club had five trains running the track, but say the system can handle over 90 trains running at once. Members had to constantly communicate with each other to avoid a collision, creating a social, quick paced environment.

One member of the Great Falls Model Railroad Club, Riley Robinson, says, “We have to communicate to make sure we’re not going against each other. We’ve got to make sure who’s got the largest load, so they usually get the right-of-ways.”

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club is always accepting members, and anyone can participate.

Robinson says, “I enjoy seeing the young youngsters out here getting into this hobby. These guys coming down and stuff and actually running with us and being part of our club has actually made sure our club goes on into the future.”

The Montana Museum of Railroad History is open every Saturday, from 12:00pm-4:00pm located at 400 Third Street NW in Great Falls. The club meets every Thursday from 7:00pm-9:00pm.

For more information, click here to visit the website.

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 28, 2024, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

06-31-51-54-55, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

14-19-21-25-30, Lucky Ball: 09

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

12-17-22-30-42, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

03-11-16-21, Bonus: 06

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

05-06-15-17-27

Check Montana Cash 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: 9:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
• Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
• Lotto America: 9:00 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: 8:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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.

Montana’s mining towns, particularly Butte, have seen an economic revival thanks to Hollywood productions like 1923, a prequel to Yellowstone.

Butte, once Montana’s largest city and the heart of a copper mining boom that earned it the nickname ‘the richest hill on earth,’ has since seen its population shrink to around 36,000. 

The town has grappled with the aftermath of mining waste and a shortage of well-paying jobs. 

Hollywood’s arrival offered a new kind of boom—this time in the form of economic opportunities and celebrity sightings. Locals whispered about Harrison Ford enjoying drinks at the bar and Helen Mirren shopping at Walmart. Not to mention that Alec Baldwin just wrapped up filming the movie Rust in Livingston, a town close to Butte, last year.

Paige Layne, a new security guard in her hometown of Butte, Montana, was several weeks into her job when she discovered she was guarding the set of 1923, the multimillion-dollar prequel to the hit show Yellowstone. 

News spread quickly, and soon the entire town was buzzing with excitement about the production.  

The premiere of 1923 drew an audience 200 times the size of Butte’s population, but initial reactions to the filming were mixed. 

Residents like Layne were skeptical, worried that the influx of Hollywood productions—including films like Last Survivors (2021), Ghosts of Devil’s Perch (2022), and Father Stu (2022)—might drive up prices in a town already affected by an influx of remote workers during the pandemic.

Locals whispered about Harrison Ford enjoying drinks at the bar and Helen Mirren shopping at Walmart

‘We don’t like outsiders unless you have a really good reason to be in town,’ Layne told the New York Times. ‘This is our town—we love our people.’

However, as filming progressed, opinions softened. Locals were hired for various roles, and the influx of cast and crew brought money into local businesses. 

Bartenders shared stories of Harrison Ford buying rounds for the house, and the production team took a genuine interest in the town’s history and culture.

‘They came in and they ruffled some feathers, man, they really did, but by the end of it, they were contributing to our local community,’ said Layne, who even worked as an extra on set.

Butte’s rugged beauty and historic architecture have made it a magnet for filmmakers. The Uptown district, with its sprawling mansions and faded brick facades, offers an authentic glimpse into the past. 

Hollywood crews have filmed in local diners, bars, union halls, and courthouses. For 1923, entire streets were closed as extras rode horses alongside the stars.

The productions have left lasting benefits. Props were donated to a children’s theater, surplus food went to a local mission, and vintage items from 1923 now decorate the historic Front Street Station, where owners Tom and Janel Madrazo rented out their space for filming. They marveled at the crew’s attention to detail, down to using 1923 coins in scenes.

Butte, once Montana’s largest city and the heart of a copper mining boom, has grappled with the aftermath of mining waste and a shortage of well-paying jobs

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Yet, there have been challenges. Road closures and canceled events caused frustrations, and some residents were disappointed that Butte stood in for the more famous Bozeman in 1923.

Montana’s 2019 tax credit for film productions has been key to attracting Hollywood. Between 2020 and 2022, productions spent $77.5 million in the state. 

But industry leaders, like filmmaker Lynn-Wood Fields, worry Montana could lose its momentum unless lawmakers raise the current $12 million cap on credits. 

She advocates for additional incentives to support local filmmakers alongside major Hollywood productions.

Former state lawmaker Jim Keane emphasized the ripple effect of productions like 1923. ‘The truckers, crane operators, caterers—this is what makes it valuable,’ he said.

Pictured: Harrison Ford and his costars on the set of 1923

For locals like Joe Sullivan, the film industry has been transformative. 

Sullivan, a Butte native and production assistant, thought he’d have to leave Montana to pursue a film career. Instead, his five-day gig on Yellowstone grew into seven years of work on major projects.

‘This isn’t L.A. This isn’t New York. It isn’t normal to us,” he said. “This is magic to us.”