In the panhandle of northwestern Nebraska, coal trains from Wyoming's Powder River Basin battle a mountain grade through an epic setting. On the BNSF timetable, this is a thirteen-mile section of the Butte Subdivision between Alliance, Nebraska and Edgemont, South Dakota. Railroaders and railfans know it as Crawford Hill.
The double-track main line is a coal conveyor belt pitched on a 1.55% grade. Manned helpers assist heavy coal trains to the summit at Belmont, then drift back down the hill for the next shove. Trains roar through Crawford as they get a run at the hill, but soon they are on their knees grinding around Breezy Poin t. Once east of the crossovers at Belmont, the helpers disconnect on the fly.
The incredible horseshoe curves and deep cuts through the Pine Ridge escarpment provide an unlimited amount of exciting locations to watch and photograph trains. Both line-side and aerial photography were used to bring the majesty of this area to the screen.
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