Where Is the Train Station in ‘1923’? Explained

The Train Station is the beautiful word that the Duttons use to describe a death zone where they dump the bodies of their enemies. It is the most interesting mystery of the Yellowstoneverse because it holds all the Dutton secrets, and nothing makes fans happier than hearing Rip mention it. The last place where the Wild West still exists was supposed to trace back to the early generations of the Duttons, which is why many fans wonder where it is in 1923.

Nobody has been taken to the Train Station “officially” as of the end of the first season of 1923. However, the station could already be in play because the bodies of Banner’s hanged henchmen were never seen again. The show hasn’t revealed whether the Duttons are already taking their enemies to the Train Station yet. Still, it may be their last resort since the family can no longer find justice in the courts in Bozeman, with the Whitfields influencing everything.

Before McDowell convinced Jacob to legally approach the Banner Creighton problem, Jacob had already decided to kill and dump his body as he did with his henchmen. Donald Whitfield managed to get him a lawyer and a release, proving that the courts are not the right place for the Duttons to fight with their enemies. A legal blindspot seems like the only option left for the Duttons in the second season of 1923, and the one place where courts have no jurisdiction is The Train Station.

Where is the Train Station Located in Yellowstone?

Lloyd told Walker that the Train Station was a county with no residents or law enforcement just across the state line in Wyoming. Judging by how Fred’s body dropped when Rip shoots him, it is clear that the Duttons dumped the bodies in a deep canyon.

Lloyd also said there are no “jurors of your peers” in the train station, which means it is almost impossible to prosecute anyone for crimes committed in The Train Station. The place is a vast uninhabited land where no one is likely to come across the bodies.

Bodies dumped in the canyon are almost impossible to locate because it is a near-bottomless pit whose end Walker couldn’t see from the top of the cliff. Lloyd, therefore, called it the Long Black Train because whoever falls into it just can’t be found.

Regarding the size, Loyd said it is 100 square miles of land with no hikers, residents, or sheriff, meaning no one can come across the bodies dumped there.

With zero human presence, it is clear that The Train Station is a legal blindspot where laws don’t really exist. Yellowstone’s train station, just like the ranch, is still fictional, so there is no known place in Wyoming where such a situation actually exists called The Train Station.

Is The Train Station based on a real-life place?

The 50-square mile section of the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming called The Death Zone is believed to have been Sheridan’s inspiration for including The Train Station in Yellowstone.

It is part of Yellowstone National Park that extends into Idaho and Montana, despite being part of the district of Wyoming. The stretch’s remote location also means it has no inhabitants.

Legally, if someone were to commit a crime on the Idaho or Montana side of the park, it would be difficult to raise a 12-person jury since there are no inhabitants in those districts that would be used as a jury of peers.

It is not clear why the Idaho section of the park is called the Death Zone, but there is no evidence of lawlessness. The legal blindspot created by the remote branches of the park has been discussed in law case studies around the US, but it is not as bad as the show makes it look.

The best description for The Death Zone is a juryless district, not really a lawless one. Steps can be taken to raise a jury if a crime is committed on federal land in the region by coordination between the department of justice and local law enforcement in the specific state.

Even in Yellowstone, The Train Station is not as lawless as some fans think because Jaime threatened to expose it to the authorities while talking to Beth, suggesting it would end the Duttons. It means the canyon discovery could expose all the murders that generations of Duttons have committed and subject the family to legal problems.

When did the Duttons establish The Train Station?

Lloyd told Walker that The Train Station had been used by the Duttons for generations, suggesting it might go as far back as the very beginning of the Yellowstone Ranch. However, there is no specific timeline from 1883 and 1923 for when the Duttons started dumping bodies in the train station.

Our working theory is that The Train Station came in handy when the Duttons could not rely on the courts to get the justice they deserved anymore.1923 already presented perfect candidates for The Train Station in Banner Creighton and Donald Whitfield.

The Whitfields are well-connected and able to manipulate laws in their favor because of the legal gaps and inequality created by the prevailing conditions, including the Great Depression. Therefore, 1923 is the most likely period when the Duttons discovered the Train Station because it marks the end of The Wild West.

People with money could exploit the legal system in their favor in that period, and since The Great Depression meant the ranch had no money, the Duttons would be forced to use the station to dispose of enemies they couldn’t defeat legally.

Will the Duttons take Banner and Whitfield to The Train Station?

The Train Station was not mentioned in the first season of 1923, but that is bound to change as the second season is expected to be more explosive. The working theory is that Spencer Dutton’s arrival will coincide with the beginning of The Train Station.

Jacob Dutton already promised Banner Creighton that threatening his family would be the last thing he ever does. Donald Whitfield has done the same thing, meaning his fate and that of Banner are now tied.

Jacob Dutton knew that the system would not work when seeking justice against Banner. He was embarrassed in court as Banner was released, and he is not likely to try and fight the battle in the courts anymore.

Cara already told Spencer that he was the last hope for the ranch and that he needed to come and help the family fight the war in Montana. If the Duttons are not going to fight in the courts, then the Train Station will be the place to take the bodies of their enemies.

However, Paramount hasn’t released any information regarding the plot’s direction for the second season of 1923. That means The Train Station could still be introduced later in the series, including the upcoming spinoff 1944.