Three helpers go "downbound" and two trek back up the hill to repeat the task.

An unknown BNSF GEVO leads another set of coal loads up Crawford Hill as an ominous thunderstorm rolls eastward across Nebraska. The curves of the Ponderosa Ranch area are just ahead.

BNSF 6159 shoves hard on another load of coal heading over Crawford Hill. The faintest of rainbows can be seen to the right of the train.

BNSF 9638 helps pull a loaded Georgia Power Plant Scherer Powder River Basin coal train up Crawford Hill as seen from the Ponderosa Ranch. It was an exhausting hike to this hilltop viewpoint, but... (more)

Helper set pushing on the DPU of an east bound load.

Loads from Black Thunder get a run for the hill after getting the helpers in Crawford. By the time the 121 car train had gone by, his speed was into the single digits and the sand was flowing.

Two of BNSF's SD70MAC's get down on their knees with 18,496 tons of black diamond from the Black Thunder mine, as they battle Crawford Hill.

My first visit to Crawford Hill was a good one; it's a great place to rail fan! This shot here is close to one I saw in a rail magazine, and had to get. I thought the flat top mountains as a bac... (more)