BN9648 leads a Northbound coal load up the 1.25% grade at Caballo Jct, WY. This is the steepest exit for coal loads leaving the Orin Line.

UP coal empties cast long shadows as they head north through the vast landscape of the Powder River Basin.

An empty UP coal train passes under a signal bridge and crests a hill between Reno Jct and Coal Creek Jct on main 2.

This view gives you a good idea of the vastness of eastern Wyoming and the scale of the railroad operations in the area. A BNSF loaded coal train makes its way north along the triple track Orin S... (more)

BNSF 7295 pulls its train east right through the Wyodak Power Plant near Gillette, Wyoming.

A BNSF coal train streaks by as an almost full moon lights of the night sky.

A patched SP unit shoves another train of empties north toward Coal Creek Jct.

An empty BNSF train rolls downhill through Converse Jct as a loaded UP train pounds up the grade in the distance. The five tracks in the foreground are for Antelope Mine. Only one train was in t... (more)

In nearly the last light of the day, another empty UP coal train crests another hill along the Orin Sub. From here, it's downhill to Reno Jct. The junction in the background is where the spur to... (more)

After a 15 minute climb from the road below, three MN railfans found the spot of the trip. Here, a loaded BNSF train passes while an empty UP train crests the hill in the top center of the photo. ... (more)

UP coal empties cruise up the grade near the Little Black Thunder loader as another loaded UP train disappears under the highway overpass in the top right corner of the picture.

Northbound Union Pacific empties meet a southbound BNSF load in the wide open prairie near the Coal Creek Mine in Wyoming.

Southbound Union Pacific coal loads pull by a BNSF GE pushing hard on a loaded train heading north. The loader in the background is located at the Coal Creek Mine.

A UP loaded train passes the Black Thunder West loadout at Reno Jct, where another train is about to start the loading process.

A northbound UP train of empties curves underneath the Lawver Rd overpass south of Coal Creek Jct.