Spring Break started at noon on Wednesday March 18 and by 1:30 we were off on a family vacation to see some friends in Colorado.  But we also had plans to spend some time in the Powder River Basin located in eastern Wyoming.   The first train of the trip was a westbound hopper train at Spring Gulch, MT (BNSF 5726, ATSF 678, 816(patched)).  We met another westbound at Lozeau, MT around 5pm (ATSF 8230(patched) BNSF ????).  At Missoula, MT we overtook an eastbound hopper train (BNSF 4531, 764, ATSF 641) and we met another westbound at McQuarrie Spur, MT (BNSF 7339, 4691, 4343 BN 7068(patched)).  Continuing on we stayed the night at Bozeman, MT.

     The next morning the first train we found was an eastbound manifest with four MRL units (MRL 339, 1746, ???, ???).  Then near the top of Bozeman pass we met a westbound hopper train with 5 MRL helpers on the rear (BN 7876(patched), FURX 7236, BNSF 700, EMD 9028, MRL 7555, 313, 392, 215, 306).  Next we arrived at Livingston, MT where the Livingston Rebuild Center is located.  There were around 70 engines here and about half of them were MRL.  Several of them included: MRL 607, 345, 18, LRCX, 9514, 5506, 8106 and Railnet 1011.  Just as we were leaving town on the freeway a westbound hopper train came through but we were only able to grab on of the numbers (BN 6831(patched)).  There were quite a few locomotives in Laurel, MT as well but most were too far away to read.  At Billings, MT we found a westbound manifest with MRL 608, 651, and 116 pulling for all they were worth.  At 10:30am we met a westbound coal train at Crow Agency, MT with an assortment of power (ATSF 6740(patched), BNSF 6765 EMD 9058).

     The next train we encountered was at Sheriden, WY where we found a westbound hopper train with 2 SD60Ms as helper engines (BNSF 4992, 4345, 8296, BN 9284, 9201).  Just as we arrived at the yard where several more SD60Ms were a westbound manifest pulled up (BNSF 6340, 9419, HLCX 6217, CSX 8504, ATSF 8201(patched)).   After shooting a picture of his mixed up consist we headed out of town.  We didn't find anything until Casper, WY where we overtook an eastbound manifest (BNSF 4394, 5208, BN 6706(patched), ATSF 6768(patched)).  At Cheyenne, WY we found an eastbound manifest waiting to enter the yard (UP 5898, 4679, IC 6066).  Meanwhile a westbound hopper train made its way out (UP 8002, 8217, 8046).  Heading on we reached our destination of Campion, CO.  At 7:45pm a southbound ballast train rumbled passed where we were staying (EMD 9053, BNSF 8253, ATSF 6766(patched)).  After a good night of sleep we headed up to the mountains with friends but not before a northbound and southbound train came through (northbound BN 2122, 2894(both patched) and the southbound BNSF  4974, 5303, ATSF 8708(patched) BN  1523).

     The next day was pretty much like the first with a southbound manifest train at 10:25am (BNSF 4394, 5208, BN 6706(patched), ATSF 6768(patched)) and then heading to the mountains.  Sunday we didn't do a whole lot and the only train that came through was a southbound manifest at 3:40pm (BNSF 833, ATSF 8739(patched), BN 8089, 7036(both patched), EMD 9078).  Then Monday my dad and I headed down to Boulder, CO for a photo hike with Norman Koren after a southbound blasted through (BN 7897, 2739, ATSF 6887(all patched)).   Down in Boulder we met a northbound manifest BN 9295, 9216, EMD 9078, BN 2739, ATSF 8217(both patched)) and on the way back we met a southbound manifest (BN 9776, BNSF 5601, BN 7137(patched), ATSF 6898(patched)).  The next day we packed up and headed for Gillette, WY.

     At Cheyenne, WY my parents stopped at some stores while I waited trackside.  In the two hours I waited UP put on a show of eight trains.  First up a westbound empty coal train (UP 6030, 5983).  Next was an eastbound coal loads (UP 7203, 7025).  Then 3 more westbounds.  The first was a manifest (UP 5950, 5948, 6579, 6462, 7551) while the second was most stack (UP 5003, GATX 7371).  The 3rd was a short TOFC with UP 4479, and 9547.  Then at 12:00pm an eastbound 130 car manifest rolled by (UP 6782, 8527).  Next was a westbound hopper train (UP 7167, SP 123) with a stack train following close on his heels (UP 4294, 4961, SP 9802, NS 9006).  At the Cheyenne yard 2 eastbound manifest trains were waiting to depart (1st UP 6350, 6242, 9100, 9465, 9588, 9099 and 2nd UP 4101, 4084).  In the yard there wasn't much variety in the power except for Arizona Central 705 (OMLX painted on side).  At the west end a westbound was just leaving the yard (UP 9417, 2431, BN 9514) while an eastbound waited to enter (UP 9489, 4050).

     The next thing we saw was  BNSF 9545 parked at Orin Jct., WY on the south end of the Orin Sub.  Taking Hwy. 59 north of Douglas, WY we met a southbound coal train at Walker, WY with one in DPU mode (UP 6774, SP 6191(patched), UP 8135).  A few miles north we quickly pull off to shot another UP southbound coal loads with 2 DPUs (UP 8037, 6571, 6359, SP 309).  Out on the Orin sub most of the trains are set up 2x1 (2 units on the head end 1 on the rear) although there are some with 3x1, 2x2 or even rarely 3x0, 3x2 or 4x1.  And from here on I will list the combination of each train.  Ok at Bill, WY we met a southbound coal train with a 3x1 (UP 6640, 7526, 7290, SP 138).  Next we met 3 southbound BNSF coal loads all in 2x1 configuration and all on each others heels (1. BNSF 8880, 9485(H2), 9931 and 2. BNSF 9925, 8939, BN 9677 and 3. BNSF 9740, 8871, BN 9716).  Also at Bill was a northbound UP empty coal train (UP 5955, 9677, 6024, SP 6268(patched)) in 3x1. 

     Making our way farther north we photographed a southbound coal loads at Logan hill in 4x1 (UP 7269, 8126, 6463, 6711, SP 277).   Following close behind him was a BNSF coal loads in 2x1 (BNSF 5672, ????, ????).   At West Logan, WY we found several engines just sitting on a short siding (SP 251, 349, UP 6794).  At East Reno we found the 2 DPUs of a 2x2 southbound loads (BNSF 9658, 9737).  Then at Reno, WY we met another southbound coal loads with a 2x2 combination (BNSF 9943, 8803, 9850, BN 9617).  Following side by side to the last train was another southbound BNSF load in 2x1 (BNSF 8841, 9756, BN 9715).  At West Reno BN 7849(patched) was waiting with several coal cars and a caboose.  By this time it was 5:40pm and so we just headed for Gillette to grab a motel.  Just one more train at Antelope, WY with a 2x1 (SP 281 + 2 other locomotives).  Arriving in Gillette we found a motel where we crashed for the night.

     The next morning my dad and I left the motel at 7am and headed out for a full day of railfanning the Orin line.  Over the entire Orin Sub there are 10 mines.  Most of BNSF's empties come down through the north end and the loads are split about even between the south and north ends.  The UP trains all come in and exit the south end because their track rights only go up to Crossover 14.7 which is at the northern most mine.  And so he first train was a southbound BNSF empty at Haire, WY (BNSF 9973, 9888, 8925 in 2x1).  Haire is located on the north end of the between Cordero and Caballo Rojo Mines.  After shooting photos and video I walked south a little ways to shoot a northbound BNSF loaded coal train which was stopped (BNSF 9729, 9803, 8840 in 2x1).  We had just left when we realized that he was moving so we quickly raced back to photograph the DPU.  Then in the distance we saw another train coming.  It was a UP northbound empty train in 3x1 (UP 8006, 8243, 6683, 8207).   After he had left yet another train was sighted in the distance.  This one turned out to be the northbound BN 7849(patched) that I had seen yesterday.  He rumbled past with 11 cars including a caboose.

     On the way south we stopped to watch one of the enormous dump trucks that takes the coal from the actual mine to the loading place.   In a picture they may not look that big but one of those front tires would tower over a small car and you can see the ladder that goes up the front in the below picture.   Anyway the next train was at Coal Creek mine waiting to load (BNSF 9864, 8922, 5622, in 2x1).  While out shooting this train we missed a northbound BNSF loaded train on the mainline with a couple of C44-9Ws and an AC4400CW.  Next down at Black Thunder mine (the largest in the US) a UP train is loading (UP 6650, 6493, SP 130, 6360(patched) in 3x1).  Out at Jacob's Ranch mine another UP was loading (UP 6519, 6865, 7200 in 2x1).  After checking that out we continued to head south to North Rochelle Jct.  Here we met a northbound coal loads in 2x1 (BNSF 8808, 9896, 9981).   Next we drove into North Rochelle Mine to check it out.  There was a UP train slowly loading (UP 8095, 6816, SP 160).

     Heading back out to the mainline we missed a northbound UP empty but didn't have to wait long for another northbound empty (UP 8304, 6357, SP 129).  Looking way up north I could see a southbound coming but I knew it wouldn't be here for another 15 or 20 minutes.  So we settled down to wait.  In a couple of minutes yet another northbound arrived heading up north for some mine to load (UP 7192, 6735, 6507, SP 138, in 3x1).  At 11am the southbound finally arrived in 3x1 with an interesting consist (UP 6513, 8214, BNSF 9402, BN 9555).  Just as the tail end was passing under a northbound BNSF empty arrived with a AC4400CW on the point (BNSF 5625, 9459(H2), BN 9615 in 2x1).

     After those trains we decided to head south.   For the next 10 miles or so the road doesn't follow the tracks and as luck would have it about 3 miles south we saw a northbound UP empty.  We decided to head back north to catch it.  It turned out that it was headed for the North Rochelle Mine just a couple miles north and so we grabbed several shots as it ducked under the road.   After a few minutes we headed back south.  At crossover 58.2 we found the southbound UP we had seen earlier which was now stopped.  After shooting a couple of pictures and wondering why we decided to head further south to find out.  And sure enough we found another southbound UP loaded train stopped on the same track just around the corner (UP 5955, 6665, SP 6268(patched) in 3x2).  Then at the front of him we realized what was holding them all up, MOW.

     In a couple of minutes a northbound empty coal train came north and stopped beside the first southbound on main 3 (BN 9621, 9531, BNSF 9629, in 2x1).  We realized that he was waiting for the second southbound to get off of the crossover so he could move to main 1.  Finally the MOW moved momentarily to let the first southbound through.  With this the second now moved up to his place.   Just as he got close to the northbounds head end the northbound started to move making for a nice meet for video.  After that we headed a couple miles south and met another northbound empty (BNSF 8976, 8973, 9647).  The 9647 is the only one in its paint scheme so I was very happy to get a picture and video of it.  And since not much else was happening we headed north doing some pacing shots both still and video.   After stopping the chase we headed back south to Converse Jct.

     At Converse Jct. the tracks take off for Antelope mine.  There was a train loading with 3x1 configuration and another waiting to load in 2x1 (DPU was UP 6687).  The second southbound finally got permission to pass the MOW and we shot it as it passed Converse Jct.  Then just a minute later another northbound rumbled past in 3x0 (UP 7267, 6550, 6725).  We were waiting for another southbound which was stopped by MOW but finally gave up and decided to head for the northern end of the Orin sub.  But just before we left another northbound empty arrived in 2x1 (UP 5901, SP 277 + DPU).  It stopped just shy of Converse Jct. and we headed north.  We got the southbound that was waiting for the MOW to move at West Nacco in 3x1 (UP 6493, 6650, SP 130, 6360(patched)).  Right behind him was another southbound load (UP 6519, 6865, 7200, in 2x1).  And on the way up to North Rochelle Jct. we missed two more southbounds.  We arrived at North Rochelle Jct. just as yet another southbound loaded train went under in 2x2 (BNSF 9783, BN 9575 were the DPUs).  

     Heading on north we found a loaded coal train coming out of Black Thunder mine with 3x0 (UP 8304, 6357, SP 129).  At Antelope, WY we met a southbound loads in 3x1 (UP 8006, 8243, 6683, 8207).  At 3:50pm we found BNSF 8959, used for helper service, stopped at Bell Ayr Jct.  Finally arriving at Rozet, WY we find 4 eastbound coal loads and 3 westbound empties.  The first coal loads is 2x2 (BN 9710, BNSF 9980, 9724, 9762) and the second is in 2x1 (BNSF 9981, 9896, 8808).  The 3rd one was another 2x1 (BNSF 9866, 9812, BN 9683) and the 4th another 2x1 (BNSF 5655, 9856, 5715).  The westbound empties were 2x1 (BNSF 5626, 9940, BN 9647) and 2x1 (BNSF 8826, 9446, 9883).  The 3rd one started to pull out of Rozet so we quickly headed down the Orin line south of Donkey Creek to grab a picture (BNSF 9986, 9671, 9547, 5702, in 3x1).  After running up a hill to get the vantage point we desired we set up just as it rounded the corner heading south now.

     We walked back out to the car and just arrived when another southbound blasted by (BNSF 8846, 8958, BN 9572, in 2x1).  Heading back to Donkey Creek Jct. we found an eastbound stack, TOFC and Boeing waiting to get through Rozet (EMD 9003, NREX 5088).  Then a westbound manifest rolled through with a mix-up of power (BNSF 5610, EMD 9074, MRL 330, BN 6704(patched)).  By this time it was 5:30pm and so we decided we had just enough time to head north and check out the Campbell Subdivision where 6 more coal mines are located.  On the way we found FURX 7262 waiting to head east out of Gillette with a couple cars of manifest.  Up at Eagle Butte Mine we found BNSF 9712 and BN 9701 helping a loaded coal train south.  Then right behind him was another loaded coal train that needed helping even though it was only 75 cars (BN 9209 EMD 3).  Then continuing on to Rawhide Mine we found an empty that was slowly loading (BNSF 8977, 9517, BN 9670).  Although it was getting dusk my dad did several minutes of video because you could see how they loaded the cars.  After that we headed back to the motel for a good night of sleep.

     The next morning we were up and out of there bound for home by 8am.  We didn't see any trains until we got to Billings, MT where we caught up to a westbound hopper train (BNSF 4004, 4867, 5736).  Then after seeing several units in the Laurel yard including MRL 17 and 125 we didn't find anything else until Bozeman Pass.  Here we caught up to a westbound manifest (BNSF 7852, 4578, BN 6704(patched)) as well as 5 MRL helper engines sitting in a siding (MRL 306, 630, 215, 225, 389).  At Silver Bow we saw a bunch of ex-UP SD50s just sitting there and we met an eastbound manifest at Gold Creek, MT (BN 9211, ATSF 8215, 8127(both patched)).  An eastbound stack was right on his heels (BNSF 4751, 4837, 5375) and we met another eastbound manifest at Clinton, MT (BN 7070(patched), 9237, NREX 5308).  The last thing we saw was an eastbound manifest at Superior, MT with MRL 702, 703, and 705.   It was a great trip and I really enjoyed the Powder River Basin.  Well hope you enjoyed the photos and report!  Until next time!