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King Coal - Powder River Rails & Mines: Coal production in Wyoming's Powder River Basin has increased dramatically since our earlier program, Powder River Basin Coal Trains, was produced in 1992. To handle the additional rail traffic, the so-called Orin Line has been double-tracked and in some areas triple-tracked. Burlington Northern and Chicago & North Western have merged with Santa Fe and Union Pacific respectively. We revisit the area to see firsthand the many changes that have taken place.
These still pictures are actual scenes ("frame captures") from the Pentrex video King Coal - Powder River Rails & Mines. |
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Empty BNSF train E-CNMBTM meets loaded UP train CJRLU at Reno Junction. |
| Union Pacific Train CNAHE passes the south end of Bill Yard where several trains await rested crews. |
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BNSF relies heavily on SD70MACs to power its coal trains. Three of them lead empty train E-MICBAM near Reno Junction. |
| Two UP SD9043MACs are on the point of loaded train CCDSN at Lawver Road near milepost 30. |
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We go right into the pit at Black Thunder Mine to watch a huge power shovel strip coal. 340-ton diesel-electric trucks transport it to silos for loading onto trains. |
| Loaded UP train CBTGG passes an empty BNSF train at Converse Junction. The BNSF train, with a DPU locomotive on the rear, is about to enter the spur to Antelope Mine. |
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A trio of BNSF SD70MACs, still in Burlington Northern colors, leads northbound empty train E-MLTBTM south of Bill. |
| AC4400CWs in C&NW, SP, and UP paint schemes haul loaded UP train CATRR over the triple-tracked Logan Hill north of Bill. |
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More AC4400CWs power loaded UP train CROPP at Keeline Road, mile 35.8. |
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Pentrex
P.O. Box 94911
Pasadena, CA 91109-4911 |
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