My friend Bill Compton and I attended the Union Pacific Historical Society convention in Cheyenne, Wyoming but I drove there, and Bill flew, a couple of days before. We met and thankfully, the railroad strike was settled on June 25th so we expected a flood of trains the next day and were not disappointed.
Here is Burlington Northern 7272 West crossing over the Union Pacific main line on the Colorado and Southern bridge with a fuel tender in its consist.
Many trains passed us here, with Union Pacific 3572 East being one.
The weather turned for the worse but we stuck with it as Union Pacific 3420 West proceeded out of Cheyenne.
6/27/1992 The next morning before our Union Pacific 3985 excursion to Laramie, we ventured out to Archer Hill.
First was Union Pacific 9394 East.
He was followed by Union Pacific 6106 East.
A westbound train, Union Pacific 9322, started down Archer Hill. After a few more trains, we returned to Cheyenne for the excursion then north to Guernsey State Park for the night.
After a good night's sleep, we ddrove east and at Lingle, Wyoming, caught Burlington Northern 8109 West.
One purpose of this trip was to see how the 1984 Project Yellow had changed area railroading in eight years. Western Railroad Properties, Inc., was formed in about 1978 as a jointly owned company of the Chicago and North Western and Union Pacific to acquire in 1983, half interest in Burlington Northern's Powder River Basin coal line from Shawnee Junction north to Coal Creek Junction. Beginning on June 27, 1983, WRPI constructed six miles of new railroad from Shawnee Junction north to Shawnee, rebuilt 45 miles of Chicago and North Western line from Shawnee to Crandall, and constructed 56 miles of new railroad from Crandall to Joyce, Nebraska, where the WRPI line connected with Union Pacific's North Platte Branch and North Platte Cut-Off. Joyce, Nebraska, is just two miles west of South Morrill, Nebraska, the operational connection between the two lines. The first coal train ran on August 16, 1984 then on December 15, 1986, WRPI purchased 11 additional miles of Burlington line from Coal Creek Junction to East Caballo Junction.
A map of Project Yellow III. We drove first to South Morrill, Nebraska then back to the US Highway 26 overpass, catching our first Chicago and North Western train, 8552 East. From here, we followed the newly-constructed Chicago and North Western line north.
Near Braun, Wyoming we photographed Chicago and North Western 8573 West.
A little further, we found Chicago and North Western 8557 East.
Making our way to Wolfe, we caught Chicago and North Western 8559 East on film.
At Myles, we came across Chicago and North Western GP9 4552, ex. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 4481 1977, nee Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 1319 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1957, set out.
Next, Chicago and North Western 8552 came rolling though Myles.
We made our way to Shawnee Junction and caught Chicago and North Western 8559 West. After a few more trains, we made our way to Douglas for the night.
6/30/1992 The next morning found us at East Walker with Burlington Northern 5065 West.
Chicago and North Western 8515 East was our next train.
After a few trains, we moved to West Walker for Chicago and North Western 8553 East and others.
Later, we went to East Bill for Chicago and North Western 8542 East.
Minutes later, Chicago and North Western 8569 East showed up.
Down the road to West Bill nabbed us Burlington Northern 5568 West.
Over to East Bill produced Burlington Northern 5521 East.
It was a nice surprise to find a caboose on this coal train.
Next came Burlington Northern 5521 East.
After a visit to a store in Bill, we caught Chicago and North Western 8574 East.
At CNW Junction, we caught Chicago and North Western 8563 East.
Next came Chicago and North Western 8560 East.
Further north at Nacco Junction, we found Burlington Northern 5083 East.
A second caboose took us back in time, with a glimpse of one of the basin's coal mines.
At East Reno, we came across Chicago and North Western 8569 East, then we started toward Gillette but at Coal Creek Junction, became stuck in the mud. After not being able to get out, we made the choice to walk towards the Coal Creek Mine and no one was there, but later a guard came and let us spend the night in the office.
7/1/1992 The next morning, members of the skeleton mine crew pulled us out of the muck and from there we went to the Black Thunder Mine for a tour.
The entrance to the Black Thunder Mine.
The coal seam that lies underneath this area.
The giant haulers used to bring the coal from the mine to the silos.
After the tour, we found Chicago and North Western 8577 East right outside the mine.
Chicago and North Western C40-8 8577 had a Wyoming Centennial banner on its side.
Out at Reno was Burlington Northern 9037 West.
Chicago and North Western 8535 East was holding the main at Reno Junction.
Up at Antelope, Chicago and North Western 8552 East came through.
At Donkey Creek, we caught Burlington Northern 9027 East. After a few more trains, we went to Gillette for a shower and hotel beds for the night.
7/2/1992 The next morning, well rested, we found Burlington Northern U30-C 5802, nee Burlington Northern 5302, built by General Electric in 1972 on display east of Gillette.
We drove into the Black Hills in South Dakota to Mount Rushmore.
After passing all the tourist traps, we made our way to Rapid City catching Chicago and North Western GP9 4560, nee Chicago and North Western 1733 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1957.
Heading towards Crawford, we caught Burlington Northern 6822 West at Rumford, South Dakota.
Heading to Crawford Hill, at Breezy Point, we found Burlington Northern 7154 West.
He was followed by Burlington Northern 9261 with a Kansas City Southern locomotive in its consist.
Kansas City Southern SD60 754 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1991.
He was followed by Burlington Northern 5581 West.
Next came Burlington Northern 5003 East.
Down at the bottom of the horseshoe, we caught Burlington Northern 5532 West.
Back up at Belmont, we found Burlington Northern 5535 West.
Heading towards Crawford, we caught Burlington Northern 7926 East.
Later we went to Fort Robinson State Park to camp for the night. The tracks are the former Chicago and North Western to Douglas and beyond.
7/3/1992 The next morning we made our way to Alliance, catching Burlington Northern 6822 East at Hemingford, Nebraska.
At West Alliance, we found Burlington Northern 7910 West.
A while later, at East Alliance, here came Burlington Northern 6822 East.
For a change of pace, we went north finding Carhenge. North of Alliance stands a replication of Stonehenge, England's ancient mystical alignment of stones that chart the sun and moon phases. Stonehenge stands alone on a plain in England, while Carhenge towers over the plains of Nebraska. It consists of the circle of cars, three standing trilithons within the circle, the heel stone, slaughter stone and two station stones. Sir John Aubrey first recognized the earthworks and great stones as a prehistoric temple in 1648. It was not until excavations undertaken in the 1920’s that there were found to be holes cut to hold timber uprights. A total of 56 holes were discovered and named the Aubrey Holes in honor of his observation.
The artist of this unique car sculpture, Jim Reinders, experimented with unusual and interesting artistic creations throughout his life. While living in England, he had the opportunity to study the design and purpose of Stonehenge. His desire to copy Stonehenge in physical size and placement came to fruition in the summer of 1987 with the help of many family members. Carhenge was built as a memorial to Reinders’ father who once lived on the farm where Carhenge now stands. While relatives were gathered following the death of Reinders' father in 1982, the discussion turned to a memorial and the idea of a Stonehenge replica was developed. The family agreed to gather in five years and build it. The clan, about 35 strong, gathered in June of 1987 and went to work. The dedication was held on the Summer Solstice in 1987 with champagne, poetry, songs and a play written by the family.
Thirty nine automobiles were placed to assume the same proportions as Stonehenge with the circle measuring approximately 96 feet in diameter. Some autos are held upright in pits five feet deep, trunk end down, while those care which are placed to form the arches have been welded in place. All are covered with gray spray paint. The honor of depicting the heel stone goes to a 1962 Cadillac.
Returning to Cheyenne, at Northport, we caught Chicago and North Western 8017 West.
Following the Burlington Northern towards Sidney, we found Burlington Northern 5011 East.
Back in Cheyenne, we found Union Pacific 6026 West. After this train, Bill and I split up, with me driving to Motel 6 in Laramie for the night.
7/4/1992 I returned home the next day.
At Nephi, Utah I caught Union Pacific 9251 West.
Further along at Juab, I caught the same train again then continued to St. George for the night and drove across the desert in the early morning to home.
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