One BNSF train is making its way around the Black Thunder Mine load out, in the process of loading. A second train is already staged behind, ready to follow the first in and start its own loading process. Trains load in a counter-clockwise movement around the balloon track here.
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You can see three different coal trains here at the Black Thunder Mind load out. You can see the massive mine to the right. The load out can completely load a 125 car train in about two hours.
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I like this shot as you can clearly see the multiple tracks that lead from the triple track main to the Black Thunder Mine load out. The single track to the right leads to the Black Thunder East Mine load out.
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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 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.
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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.
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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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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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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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