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Photo ID: 114273
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 33.0 to East Coal Creek
Campbell County, WY
35
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
Toward the north (timetable west) end of the Orin Sub, we find a pond alongside the triple track main as a UP coal empty hustles along on Main 2.
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Photo ID: 114272
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1 to Crossover 33.0
Campbell County, WY
27
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
A pair of BNSF SD70ACes lead an eastbound coal empty on Main 3, as a single UP ES44AC bring up the tail end of a westbound coal empty. Because BNSF accesses the Orin Sub from both ends, empties enter from both ends to reach the mines. As a result, it is quite possible for two empties (or two loads) to meet each other, such as in this shot.
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Photo ID: 114271
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1 to Crossover 33.0
Campbell County, WY
31
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
Although coal mining is by far the dominant industry in the Powder River Basin, there are a quite a few (and/or natural gas) wells in the area as well. While nothing compared to coal...or even to wells in places like Utah along the former Rio Grande, there is a loading facility here around MP 34 off of Main 1. Meanwhile, a UP coal empty heads west on Main 2, meeting a BNSF coal empty on Main 3.
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Photo ID: 114270
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1 to Crossover 33.0
Campbell County, WY
38
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
It took awhile to catch up to this westbound UP coal empty. The empty train allows it to run at track speed, 50 MPH. After shooting it at MP 59.7, I could not get ahead of it until here near MP 34. Since the roads do not directly follow the tracks, it took about 25 miles to get ahead.
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Photo ID: 114269
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
MP 59.7
Campbell County, WY
33
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
UP 6930 leads a westbound (geographic northbound) Union Pacific empty on Main 2. The signal bridge in the distance is where Main 4 ends, converging with Main 3. Back to triple track as the train continues.
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Photo ID: 114262
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 55.8 to Crossover 49.2
Campbell County, WY
52
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
In the roughly 50 years of mining in the Powder River Basin, it is estimated that roughly 9 billion short tons of low sulfur coal has been mined and shipped. It is honestly quite impressive to see just how wide and deep the mining operation is. As a UP load passes by on Main 1, the size of just one mine (North Antelope Rochelle) really puts everything into perspective. It is estimated that another 25 billion tons of coal is "economically recoverable" in the region. Enough to last until at least another 150-200 years at current levels. Of course, as demand for coals diminishes, the exact future of Powder River Basin is not clear. Incidentally, North Antelope Rochelle Mine is considered to be the largest single coal mining operation in the world.
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Photo ID: 114261
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 55.8 to Crossover 49.2
Campbell County, WY
27
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
UP 9051 heads south (timetable east) on Main 1, just south of the South Black Thunder Mine lead. The train will likely run on Main 1 all the way to Bridger Junction, where the train will leave the Joint Line (Orin Sub) behind, and take the UP Powder River Sub to Nebraska and beyond.
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Photo ID: 114260
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 49.2 to Crossover 45.7
Campbell County, WY
36
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
BNSF 6643 passes by intermediate signals between Crossover 49.2 and Crossover 45.7, headed west (geographically north) on Main 2. The auto racks are using the Orin Sub as a shortcut to get from south to north Wyoming, likely headed for the Pacific Northwest.
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Photo ID: 114259
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 49.2 to Crossover 45.7
Campbell County, WY
40
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
Since BNSF can access the Orin Sub from both the north and south end, they do run a handful of non-coal trains across the entire length of the Orin Sub. Case-in-point is this westbound (geographic northbound) unit auto rack train on Main 2.
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Photo ID: 114258
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1
Campbell County, WY
34
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
UP 9051 has crossover from Main 3 to Main 1 and has cleared the fog. In the distance, you can just barely see the top of the Black Thunder West coal load out sticking above the fog layer.
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Photo ID: 114257
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1
Campbell County, WY
29
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
UP 9051 has a green signal at the crossover at MP 42.1 and is started to accelerate amidst some morning fog that the sun is working to burn off.
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Photo ID: 114256
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 42.1 to Crossover 33.0
Campbell County, WY
35
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific
A UP coal load on Main 3 is creeping along next to some cars in storage on the 10,000 foot siding near Reno Junction. The train had a yellow (Approach) intermediate leading to Reno Junction. Due to the mist, the train is creeping along so the crew can stop short of the next signal, in the event it is red.
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Photo ID: 114255
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 55.8
Campbell County, WY
35
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
The fog was rapidly moving and shifting this morning here at the crossover at MP 55.8. No westbounds are currently aligned on Main 1 or 3, as evidenced by the red signals, in addition to the red signal on Main 2.
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Photo ID: 114254
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 55.8
Campbell County, WY
39
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
This mist layer stopped right at the westbound signal bridge at Crossover 55.8 as a BNSF coal empty moves away and disappears into the mist on Main 2.
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Photo ID: 114253
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Crossover 55.8
Campbell County, WY
33
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Orin (BNSF) BNSF
It is 58ºF (14ºC) this morning, and there is some low hanging fog that has formed near the Black Thunder lead. This westbound coal train on Main 2 is disappearing into the mist.
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