Photo ID: 114306 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jireh to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 20 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific At the height of the coal in the mid-2000s, UP added roughly 15 miles of triple track over Myles Hill on the Powder River Sub. With the drop off in coal, UP decided the maintenance costs of the third main no longer made sense, and in 2024, UP started lifting the rails on Main 1. As you can see in this overhead shot, the rails are completely gone from Main 1. The only stretch of Main 1 that is still in tact is between Lost Springs and Shawnee, and that section of Main 1 is being used for car storage. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114307 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jireh to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 16 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific UP 6254 is working up the grade of Myles Hill on UP's Powder River Sub, east of Shawnee. The train is headed for Nebraska, and then points beyond (likely Missouri). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114308 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jireh to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 16 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific Once coal loads reach Bridger Junction at the south end of the Orin Sub, BNSF trains head for the Canyon Sub and UP trains head for the Powder River Sub. That is where the joint operation ends. Here on the Powder River Sub, east of Lost Springs, you'll only find UP trains, such as this eastbound load. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114309 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jireh to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 19 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific A look at UP 6254 headed east over Myles Hill on Main 3. Main 1 here had a relatively short lifespan, only lasting roughly 20 years. The rails have been pulled up, and no doubt the ties will follow at some point. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114310 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jireh to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 17 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal load is slowly making its way up Myles Hill on Main 3 on the Powder River Sub. The subdivision is 106 miles long, connecting the Orin Sub to the South Morrill Sub in Nebraska. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114311 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP W260 (Lost Springs) Converse County, WY 22 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific With the decrease in demand for coal, UP decided in 2024 to remove Main 1 from Myles Hill on the Powder River Sub. The main was added in the mid-2000s during the peak of coal production in the Powder River Basin. The triple track section was about 15 miles long, and roughly 10 miles of rail has now been removed. As you can see, just east of Lost Springs, the rails come to an abrupt end at this "End of Track" sign. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114312 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP W260 (Lost Springs) Converse County, WY 17 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific Mains 2 and 3 are active and in use on the Powder River Sub over Myles Hill. Main 1, as you can see, has largely been removed. Presumably, once Main 1 has been completely removed, UP will like change the remaining two mains to Main 1 and Main 2. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114313 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP W260 (Lost Springs) Converse County, WY 18 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific We are looking west at the control point at Lost Springs on the Powder River Sub. As you can see, Main 1 is in the process of being pulled up by Union Pacific as it is deemed unneeded at this point, and the maintenance costs are not longer justified. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114314 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 16, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Shawnee to Lost Springs Converse County, WY 19 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Powder River (UP) Union Pacific During part of the five miles of Main 1 (along the triple track) that still exist between Shawnee and Lost Springs, a long string of very old box cars are being stored. Here are a few of those cars. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page