As a native Montanan, I can tell you that there are certain things Montanans have a mind set about and nothing with change it. Examples are: 1.)Most dislike the idea of a daytime speed limit (it used to only be "reasonable or prudent"), 2.)Most dislike the idea of a general sales tax (Montana doesn't have one, although there are room taxes and some city sales taxes), and 3.)Most think that Montana is unique in being a one-freight-railroad entity.
It's unfortunate that the deregulation of 1980 coincided with the time that the Milwaukee Road pulled out of Montana. Prior to this, rates from one point to another where both points were served by more than one railroad were the same. After that, the rates could be competitive. What Montanans don't realize is that they're not alone. Even as this year's census will put the population of Montana at almost 1 million with their one freight railroad, it's no different than places like San Diego, Las Vegas, Southern Idaho, and most of Florida that have a more people, sometimes a lot more people, and one freight railroad. And, unlike Montana, places like Southern Idaho and Las Vegas have always only had one freight railroad. But Montana's where one will hear the complaint regularly.
The other thing Montanans fail to realize is that it even if the Milwaukee Road was still around, it wouldn't be around. What I mean is there is a possible misconception that the Milwaukee Road's presence would have kept shipping rates in line all these years. In reality, that didn't happen becuase the Milwaukee couldn't have competed anyway. As Montana grain shifted to be destined primarily to Portland/Vancouver and Kalama, and as the majority of the grain started being shipped as full-train "shuttle" trains, the circuity of the Milwaukee's route from the primary grain producing areas of Montana to those ports, and the profile (up to 6 helper districts, depending on how you count it compared to zero in most cases for BN/BNSF) would have made competition from the Milwaukee a non-starter.
In other words: Yes, they're complaining in Montana. This, too, shall pass. Until next year. Stay tuned.