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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 95
Bill, WY
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2348 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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Union Pacific
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This UP coal empty is running on yellow signals following yet another UP coal empty. The train are trying to get into Bill for a crew change. Bill, WY is a major hub for UP in the Powder River Basin. It is a crew change point and there is a hotel and diner essentially devoted to the railroad (although open to the public too). BNSF trains, on the other hand, slip right past Bill without stopping.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 80
Bill, WY
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1780 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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Union Pacific
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After receiving a fresh crew at Bill, this UP coal empty proceeds west on Main Two towards its destination at the North Antelope Mine, about twenty miles ahead. Just (geographically) north of Bill, the track cross underneath Highway 59, moving from the west side to the east side of the highway as the highway continues north.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 79
Bill, WY
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2802 (4 Comments Posted)
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Orin (BNSF)
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BNSF
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The Powder River Basin has been expanding at a nearly exponential rate over the last twenty years. Not long ago, there were two main tracks at this location. It didn't take long for a third main track to be put in to accommodate traffic. No sooner had the third track been put it, that a fourth main track was laid down! This roughly 25-mile stretch of four main tracks is the longest such stretch of non-passenger track in the country. In this shot, a UP coal empty proceeds west in the distance on Main Two, a BNSF coal load heads east on Main Four, and a clear signal on Main Three indicates another westbound is not far away.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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Reno Jct
Gillette, WY
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2449 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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Union Pacific
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Reno Junction is the location of the entrance to the Black Thunder Mine along the Orin Subdivision. A new tipple is being constructed here and a major accident occurred in May 2008. A large crane working on the construction of the conveyor belt actually collapsed. Fortunately, nobody was killed, although the three main tracks were all blocked temporarily. Here, a UP coal load coming from the Caballo Mine passes the new tipple, still under construction.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 59
Bill, WY
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2632 (1 Comment Posted)
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Orin (BNSF)
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Union Pacific
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The mining operations in the Powder River Basin are absolutely amazing to see in person. It looks like mini Grand Canyons have been carved into the ground digging for the coal. The great thing is that there is a fairly minimal impact to the environment as everything can be restored once the coal is extracted. Here, a Jacob's Ranch Mine load passes by a crane working at the Antelope Mine, digging some more coal for loading.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 65.4 (Converse Jct)
Converse County, WY
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2322 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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Union Pacific
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Converse Junction is a cool place to hang out in my opinion. In addition to the four main tracks along the Orin Subdivision, there are five leads for the Antelope Mine. Two are inbound only, two are outbound only, and the center can be used for either. Here, a Jacob's Ranch Mine load proceeds east on a clear signal on Main Four while a new Antelope Mine load pulls toward the junction to wait for its turn to depart.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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Bill
Bill, WY
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1704 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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BNSF
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A BNSF coal load is coming down Main Two at Bill continuing its journey east out of the Powder River. On Main Four (to the left), a UP coal load is stopped at the depot in Bill waiting for a fresh crew. Maintenance is never ending along the tracks here...note the front end loader to the right moving along an access road.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 90
Bill, WY
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2330 (Add a Comment)
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Orin (BNSF)
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BNSF
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A few miles east (geographically south) of Bill, we find a BNSF coal load moving on clear signals on Main Two. A storage and maintenance facility is located here off of Main Three over to the left. Growing up in Colorado, it is somewhat unusual to be able to get a 7,000+ foot long coal train captured in a single frame!
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 132
Ammon, WY
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2829 (2 Comments Posted)
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Canyon (BNSF)
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BNSF
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This is a train (symbol) that I have shot many times before, although never in this location! This is BNSF's daily HLAUDEN (Laurel, MT to Denver, CO), but a bit further north than I usually see it. The train has just left the Casper Subdivision at Bridger Junction and is now on the Canyon Subdivision. BNSF is in the process of adding a second main track between Bridger Junction and Bona, a few miles south.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
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Kevin Morgan
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MP 127
Glendo, WY
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2342 (Add a Comment)
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Canyon (BNSF)
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BNSF
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BNSF's HLAUDEN rounds through the curves around MP 127 on the Canyon Subdivision. BNSF's Front Range Dispatcher handles the Casper Sub (which this train just came from) and the Front Range Sub (which this train is headed toward). The train leaves the authority of the Front Range Dispatcher for a thirty mile stretch between Bridger Junction and Wendover when it borrows the Canyon Sub. Here, it is in CTC territory and falls under the authority of the Orin Line Dispatcher.
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