BNSF 6067 has come to a stop on one of the two leads off the triple track mains to Black Thunder Mine. The crew is waiting for a route to pull all the way in. In the background is the Black Thunder West load out, and the conveyor belt that supplies it with coal.
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Black Thunder Mine is one of the largest load outs in the Powder River Basin, and there are five tracks for staging just off the triple track at Reno Junction. Two empties are waiting to be taken to the mind, and two loads came out and are waiting to be recrewed and depart.
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At Reno Junction, BNSF 6067 is leaving the triple track and is headed toward the Black Thunder Mine.
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The Black Thunder West Mine is the newest load out in the Powder River Basin. It was completed in 2008 and its balloon track is 8.1 miles around. Trains load in a clockwise circuit around the load out. This load out is right along the triple track mainline, as you can see on the right. The empty coal hoppers are in storage in the only siding along the entire subdivision.
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A pair of BNSF SD70ACes lead a coal empty into one of the tracks at Black Thunder West Mine. SD70ACes and ES44ACs are the power on virtually on BNSF coal trains these days.
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BNSF 9204 is moving along at about 10 MPH on the second of five Black Thunder West leads to the coal load out.
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A BNSF crew brings an empty coal train into one of five tracks that lead to the Black Thunder West Mine load out. The triple track main is to the right of the road, just out of view.
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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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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.
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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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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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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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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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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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We are along the stretch of the triple track between South Black Thunder Mine and the Black Thunder Mine. BNSF 3375 is headed west on Main 2 for a mine north of Black Thunder.
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