Heavyweight Powder River Coal Trains at Logan Hill - BNSF Orin Subdivision 8/13/2024

On day 2 of my trip to the Powder River Basin in Wyoming I found myself at the iconic Logan Hill, the summit of BNSF's Orin Subdivision, from either side of this point on the line, tracks descend at a 1% or so grade on average, which is challenging for the heavy coal trains that traverse the line. Here the mainline is four tracks, though the furthest west main was used as storage for empty coal hoppers at this time. From both directions, both loaded and empty coal drags dramatically pull up the hill often in Notch-8, using every last horsepower in their locomotives. Today was busy, where both BNSF and UP were running lots of traffic into and out of the mines to the north. Aside from the BNSF and UP trains, an MRL locomotive made its way onto a BNSF loaded coal train, as they often find themselves in coal service due to the absorption of the MRL into the BNSF. Enjoy over two and a half hours of a coal hauling railroad drama that's not matched anywhere else! Thanks for watching! Train 1: BNSF C-NAMCXC0-49A Head End: BNSF 6103~ES44AC BNSF 8499~SD70ACe Rear End: BNSF 8542~SD70ACe Train 2: UP CWTJK 13 Head End: UP 6430~C44ACM UP 9614~C44ACM Rear End: UP 8576~SD70ACe Train 3: UP CHLBM 11 Head End: UP 7802~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 7763~ES44AC / C45ACCTE Rear End: UP 5399~ES44AC / C45ACCTE Train 4: UP CRDNA9 9 Head End: UP 7428~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 9034~SD70AH Rear End: UP 5866~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE UP 6360~C44ACM Train 5: UP COKNA9 10 Head End: UP 3052~SD70ACe-T4 UP 8631~SD70ACe Rear End: UP 7080~AC4400CW / C44AC UP 6458~C44ACM Train 6: UP CCAWC 13 Head End: UP 7996~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 8973~SD70AH Rear End: UP 2567~ES44AH / C45AH Train 7: UP CSNBM 12 Head End: UP 8475~SD70ACe UP 7786~ES44AC / C45ACCTE Rear End: UP 3072~SD70ACe-T4 UP 8258~ES44AH / C45AH Train 8: BNSF E-SFABTM0-38A Head End: BNSF 9165~SD70ACe BNSF 9086~SD70ACe Rear End: BNSF 9177~SD70ACe Train 9: UP 2CNALW9 13 Head End: UP 8044~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 6826~AC4400CW / C44AC Rear End: UP 7417~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 9650~C44ACM Train 10: BNSF E-MOLDFM0-81A Head End: BNSF 3320~ES44ACH BNSF 3319~ES44ACH Rear End: BNSF 3321~ES44ACH Train 11: UP 2CSABM9 9 Head End: UP 7384~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 8197~ES44AH / C45AH Rear End: UP 2555~ES44AH / C45AH UP 8779~SD70ACe Train 12: BNSF C-NAMTHH0-93A Head End: BNSF 6434~ES44AC BNSF 9056~SD70ACe Rear End: BNSF 6168~ES44AC BNSF 9354~SD70ACe Train 13: UP CWLNA9 12 Head End: UP 8077~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 9657~C44ACM Rear End: UP 2543~ES44AH / C45AH UP 9069~SD70AH Train 14: UP CWXBM9 12 Head End: UP 8406~SD70ACe UP 7492~ES44AC / C45ACCTE Rear End: UP 7460~ES44AC / C45ACCTE Train 15: UP CCAGG 13 Head End: UP 8878~SD70AH UP 6658~AC4400CW / C44AC Rear End: UP 8937~SD70AH UP 6328~AC4400CW / C44AC Train 16: BNSF C-ATMPAM0-49A Head End: BNSF 3648~ET44ACH BNSF 3303~ES44ACH Rear End: BNSF 3634~ET44ACH BNSF 3669~ET44ACH Train 17: BNSF C-BTMHOH0-05D Head End: BNSF 6407~ES44AC MRL 4309~SD70ACe Rear End: BNSF 8749~SD70ACe BNSF 8417~SD70ACe Train 18: UP CBTWL9 13 Head End: UP 6271~AC4400CW / C44AC UP 5720~C44ACM Rear End: UP 6388~C44ACM UP 5913~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE Train 19: UP CNARD9 13 Head End: UP 7428~ES44AC / C45ACCTE UP 9034~SD70AH Rear End: UP 5866~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE UP 6360~C44ACM Train 20: BNSF C-NRMMHS0-07A Head End: BNSF 5835~ES44AC BNSF 9894~SD70MAC Rear End: BNSF 5876~ES44AC BNSF 9253~SD70ACe Train 21: UP CNAOK9 13 Head End: UP 3052~SD70ACe-T4 UP 8631~SD70ACe Rear End: UP 7080~AC4400CW / C44AC UP 6458~C44ACM