Powder River Basin

[gtrtroger]

=

[CN2899]

looks great

[AmericanSteam]

Some oldie but goldies. A brace of Santa Fe B40-8 Bluebonnets from EYEIN 12 with a string of empties on PBR. These locomotive have a great throaty engine sound.

[AmericanSteam]

Excellent article in March 2021 Trains Magazine.

[Tomcat]

Excellent article in March 2021 Trains Magazine.

Thanks for the heads up! I haven't subscribed to Trains in some time and my local hobby shop has stopped carrying magazines so I was unaware of the March article along with the articles in the January and February issues on coal. Had to order those 3 issues from Kalmbach Publishing which advised me that it would take 4 to 6 weeks to arrive - they arrived in 4 days - go figure.

I'm getting close to a release of the next phase. I'm just about done with signals, markers and mileposts for all the new track. Don't expect any major additions to scenery as that was not my focus for this release. Having said that, I did work on certain spots as the mood struck as recent posts have suggested and as the following screenshots show the initial work around an area that gtrtroger should know.

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[chrisreb]

Looking as good as ever

[gtrtroger]

Ohhhhhhh..... Thanks very Much! Was not expecting this...... I have some ideas on making this fully functional.....

[Tomcat]

Looking as good as ever

Thank you!

I have some ideas on making this fully functional.....

I thought you might.

Rough placement of scenery in Hemingford is almost complete after which there is a fair amount of detail work to be done. Once this town is complete and I have a chance to go over my track work it'll be ready for a release.

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[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Those facilities are huge.

Is this where DDG Dried Distillers Grain is shipped from?

[BNSFdude]

Those facilities are huge.

Is this where DDG Dried Distillers Grain is shipped from?

DDG is shipped from Ethanol and other Corn Processing facilities.

[gtrtroger]

Other than the information I posted in this thread (viewtopic.php?f=39&t=23053), attached is a pdf with additional information. I can’t say what the destinations are for the grains accumulated, stored and shipped from this location. It is a large elevator operation with multiple sites - both on and off Tomcat’s PBR route. It is not the only grain elevator operation that can be found on the route. It is the only grain elevator in the immediate western Nebraska panhandle area. The FC locomotive also sells services to other smaller grain operations in the Alliance-Hemingford area when required. I have multiple BNSF train symboled unit grain trains originating from both Alliance and Hemingford - including pickups from the DME at Crawford - that go to west coast distribution points.

Yes, they have a website and Facebook page...look them up.

Interesting operation for sure.....

FYI, in the two pictures on page 1 of the attached; in the Hay Springs location an additional 2 grain bins have been added, and in the second picture at Hemingford, a new, 919,000 bushel elevator bin has been added.

[BoostedFridge]

I was amazed to see that Hemingford counts as a unit train facility for BNSF, based on its track arrangement. The switch engine at that elevator must be running its wheels off to turn 100+ cars in 15 hours!

This elevator, and the one at West Alliance will offer great starting points for scenarios for unit trains. The smaller elevators at Berea and Nonpareil are likely serviced as necessary by a local out of Alliance, though that is purely supposition on my part.

[gtrtroger]

This elevator, and the one at West Alliance will offer great starting points for scenarios for unit trains. The smaller elevators at Berea and Nonpareil are likely serviced as necessary by a local out of Alliance, though that is purely supposition on my part.

Unit trains are delivered to Hemingford and power runs light back to Alliance Yard. Hoppers are doubled on the staging tracks west of the elevator. The GP20 shuttles the hoppers, 10 at a time, back and forth until all are loaded. Six-axle power is not permitted under the elevator - weight restrictions apply. When ready, Alliance dispatches light power back the Hemingford, train is assembled, brake checked, then off towards Edgemont and destinations west. Very few are dispatched East, but it does happen. All this happens while PRB coal trains are dominating the traffic pattern - and squeezed thru the single/double track main intersection in front of the elevator.

Busy-busy place for sure.....

[Tomcat]

The last of Hemingford, I don't think much of anything will change between now and release.

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[Tomcat]

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