T.G.'s Photography Blog

August 23, 2005. Powder River Coal Basin, Wyoming. BNSF 8816 is the distributed power unit pushing on a north bound empty coal train on the BNSF's Orin Subdivision. At this time the section of track was double tracked, but within a short amount of time it would be triple tracked. This image was taken between Hwy 450, to the north, and Edwards/Reno Road, to the south. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

August 23, 2005. Southeast of Wright, WY. In this image the entire length of a Union Pacific coal train can be seen, as it rolls north on the BNSF's Orin Subdivision in the Powder River Coal Basin. The lead locomotives are just over the slight hump near the two block signals in the far distance. This was taken alongside Hilight Road, somewhere between Hwy 450 and Edwards/Reno Road. Photo © Tom Gatermann

August 23, 2005. East of Wright, Wyoming. A BNSF work train is seen here on BNSF's Orin Subdivision, near Wyoming Highway 450. BNSF 6840 and BNSF 6958 are on the point of this ballast train, which is waiting to proceed south. At this time there was a lot of track work occuring adding a third and fourth mainline to much of the Orin Subdivision. This portion of the line was triple tracked at this time. Photo © Tom Gatermann

August 23, 2005. Gillette, Wyoming. Burlington Northern (BN) 5802 (GE U30C) sits on display at Gillette Energy Park. This locomotive is of the type that was used by BN to haul long coal trains from the Power River Coal Basin. The park has an assortment of mining equipment on display that was used in the area. The locomotive was originally numbered as BN 5302, and was built in 1972, by General Electric. Photo © Tom Gatermann

August 23, 2005. Gillette, Wyoming. BNSF 9221, a former Burlington Northern engine, leads a west bound train on BNSF's Black Hills Subdivision. In a few miles the train will leave the Black Hills Subdivision and roll onto the BNSF's Big Horn Subdivision. The train to the right was an empty coal train that was heading back for another load of coal in the Powder River Coal Basin (PRCB), via Donkey Creek Junction, which is a few miles east of town. Photo © Tom Gatermann