Western Railroad Discussion > Absolute Alley on the Orin Sub

October 3 2009, I am standing on the Wyoming Hwy 450 bridge (also called Little Thunder Road) looking south at the 4 track Orin Sub. All signals on this part of the sub are absolute (if red you stop). Notice that Wyoming is not as flat as you might imagine.
Bob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/19 02:47 by back_track_bob.

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While I can understand the analogy here, the area dubbed "Absolute Alley" in TRAINS many years ago is up in the
Belle Ayr Mine area where four mine spurs leave the Orin Sub in less than a mile.  At this point, these signals control
the crossovers to allow access to the Black Thunder/Jacobs Ranch (I know the names been changed I just can't
remember the new one) spur, and the Black Thunder loadout west of the "main".  Still an interesting photo.  Is that
bridge still as narrow as I remember it?

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Look at all the propane tanks.

Lots of switches and switch heaters...

Now HERE is an absolute alley for you. BNSF San Bernardino Sub. Looking east from Redondo Junction emerging from the Alameda Corridor Sub the first non absolute intermediate signal is east of Fullerton, TWENTY FIVE MILES away!
JB

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Too bad not a train in sight on all that beautiful infrastructure as more and more utilities turn to natural gas and even wind and solar. When I first started on BN there in 1979, there was not even one track. When the Orin Line first opened, it grew to one track. === === = === JLH

You can almost hear the neon VACANCY sign humming.

All the work that UP and BNSF have done here in last 20-25 years , do you think they got this project  in PRB  to profit or did the expense still  outlast the revenue?  They probably did not figure that the operation would last such a short time, or did they?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/19 08:42 by dougd.

I have often wondered that, too, if they ever adequately recouped their investment. Coal waxed, and then waned, too soon. === === = === JLH