A Utah Railway coal train with Union Pacific power loads at the Willow Creek mine at Castle Gate on July 7, 2000. Cyprus Plateau Mining began operations at Willow Creek in 1998. On August 1, 2000, an underground fire and explosion set off by methane killed two miners deep within the mine. On Sept. 27, 2000, the last Utah Railway coal train was loaded at Willow Creek. The mine complex has since been completely dismantled and the surrounding land area reclaimed. Nothing at the Willow Creek site remains today except memories of Castle Gate's coal mining glory days and the two Union Pacific main tracks in the foreground.
