Railfanning Wyoming and Montana - 3C, Powder River Basin

Hi, The second day of our visit to the Powder River Basin dawned clear. Picking up from the day before, we began at Cordero Rojo Junction, a little north of where we finished the previous day.

As on the previous day a loaded coal train was sitting on the north leg of the wye waiting to depart (above and below).

On the previous day we had seen two types of trains I had never seen in the basin before; a stack train and a manifest train. Unfortunately, we were out of position for a photo of either train and they were too fast to catch. However, on this day the stack train came while we were just hanging out. On the rear were a cut of auto racks and then some general merchandise.

Next a UP train that had been waiting moved up to begin loading (above and four below).

The Cordero Rojo Mine load-out is in the background.

Moving south to Reno Jcn. we decided to check out the Black Thunder and North Antelope mines. While driving in towards the mines we encountered a loaded BNSF coal train getting ready to depart. We returned to Reno Jcn. to wait for it (above and below)

The load-out in the background services the Black Thunder Mine. An older, double load-out is at the mine.

We caught the train again at the next bridge south of Reno Jcn.

During a lunch stop at Converse Jcn. northbound coal loads came through

with a pair of SD70ACes running as DPUs (above and below).

Thanks for looking.