State, Railroad Partner on Radio Deal

The state of Montana and the BNSF Railway company have created a unique partnership to improve local, state and federal law enforcement radio communications in the northern part of the state. Under the plan, BNSF will receive $500,000 over five years to improve a major radio tower site serving what’s called the Northern Tier Interoperability Consortium, a partnership involving 12 counties and four Indian reservations in northern Montana. The railroad will also supply access, towers, generators and equipment shelters at three sites in Lincoln County, and improve coverage on U.S. Highway 2 below Glacier National Park. BNSF maintains a large fiber-optic and radio communications network to manage its railroads, which will be used to make the improvements.