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 13 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. 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 25 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114263 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Nacco Wye Junction Converse County, WY 18 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific A westbound Union Pacific coal empty crosses over Antelope Creek at Nacco Wye Junction. This particular empty is headed for the Black Thunder Mine load out, another 20 miles west (geographically north). The train just came down the west (geographic north) side of Logan Hill. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114264 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Nacco Wye Junction to Crossover 55.2 Converse County, WY 17 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific A single DPU brings up the end of a westbound coal empty just beyond Nacco Wye Junction. This climb up the hill here is the last bit of the 20 mile stretch of four main tracks. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114265 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Nacco Wye Junction Converse County, WY 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific An SD70ACe and an AC4400CW is headed eastbound (geographic southbound) on Main 1 as it crosses over Antelope Creek at Nacco Wye Junction. The train is about to take on the climb up the 1% grade of Logan Hill. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114266 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Converse Junction Converse County, WY 16 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific UP 9051 is on Main 1 as it approaches Converse Junction, running by Antelope Mine, the mine that is further south (timetable east) on the Orin Sub. A loaded BNSF coal train is waiting for a recrew so it can depart as well. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114267 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Converse Junction Converse County, WY 20 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific On the close track, Main 1, an eastbound UP coal train starts the main climb up Logan Hill. Over on Main 3, a westbound BNSF empty is zipping by at close to track speed (50 MPH). Finally, a loaded BNSF coal train is waiting to depart over Logan Hill. It currently does not have a crew on board, and it is sitting on the Antelope lead. Seeing meets like this are what makes the Powder River Basin quite exciting. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114268 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Converse Junction Converse County, WY 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) BNSF A pair of DPUs bring up the end of a westbound BNSF coal empty on Main 3 as a single UP DPU works hard to help an eastbound train up Logan Hill on Main 1, passing by the Antelope Lead tracks. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114269 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 59.7 Campbell County, WY 15 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. 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 18 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. 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 15 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. 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 13 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. 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 14 (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. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114274 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crossover 33.0 to East Coal Creek Campbell County, WY 15 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific From across this pond east (timetable south) of the Coal Creek Mine, a UP coal empty heads west on Main 2. The scenery here is a little barren, but creates its own type of beauty. If anyone is aware of a name for this pond, please feel free to share in the comments. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114275 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crossover 33.0 to East Coal Creek Campbell County, WY 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Orin (BNSF) Union Pacific A relatively nice (paint wise) C44ACM and a very ragged AC4400CW lead this UP empty coal train west on Main 2 just a few miles from the Coal Creek Mine. The track diverge quite a bit from the road for the remaining 30-ish miles of the Orin Sub, making it a bit more difficult to chase. This was the further north (geographic) I got on the Sub on this trip. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page     Next Page