Yellowstone: What is The Train Station?

10/01/2023 09:48 pm EDT

Sunday night, CBS aired the fourth episode of the first season of Yellowstone, "The Long Black Train" and in addition to turning up the heat on Kayce Dutton in terms of the killings that have taken place thus far on the series, the episode also saw the demise of one of the Yellowstone's ranch hands, Fred and the introduction of the "train station".  For those who have been watching Yellowstone for a few seasons, they'll know that the train station plays a significant role in the series and how the Dutton family deals with things but with Yellowstone reaching a whole new audience now that it is on primetime, it's worth taking a look at what this grim location really is.

Warning: Spoilers for Yellowstone beyond this point.

In "The Long Black Train", ranch hand Fred attacks Jimmy, one of Yellowstone's branded me and that's a line one simply does not cross. He ends up being kicked off the ranch and is taken on a drive to the "train station" by Lloyd. However, it becomes clear quickly that they're not heading to a transportation depot. They instead across the Montana border where Lloyd tells Fred that he's going on a ride on the long black train, shooting him in the head and throwing his body and saddle over a cliff.

What is the Train Station?

As the episode suggests, the Train Station is code for taking someone to be killed and disposed of — and over the course of the series, a number of people end up being taken to the train station. As for its location, it's actually based in reality, sort of. There is a place in Yellowstone National Park where, in theory, someone could be murdered and the killer would not be able to be convicted for it because it falls in a place where no one actually lives. Federal criminal cases — which is what such a crime would be — require that juries be comprised of those who live in both the state and the district where the crime took place. In this particular location, the "Zone of Death", no one lives there, creating a loophole.

In later seasons of Yellowstone, John Dutton explains that that is exactly the reason the train station is located where it is: it's a dead zone with a population of zero so no jury and no court can be involved.

Many People Have Been Taken to the Train Station

While Fred is the first, we see in Yellowstone, there are plenty of folks who have been taken on that final journey. Season 3 sees a man named Wade not only get his brand cut off while he's alive, but then gets taken to the train station. Season 4 sees a man who tries to assassinate the Duttons take the ride as well. Jamie's biological father will also end up in the canyon as well. Season 5 also reveals a flashback in which young Rip gets in a fight with a man named Rowdy and, when Rip kills Rowdy in a fight, he's taken to the train station for disposal.

The train station may end up being a major plot point when the final episodes of Yellowstone Season 5 eventually arrives, too. With Jamie and Beth now at war, Jamie knows all about the train station and how tis existence could be a major problem for the Duttons as he moves to destroy his own family. But Jamie's not innocent. He did, after all kill his own biological father and dispose of him in the canyon — and Beth has proof.

Yellowstone airs Sunday nights on CBS. The first four seasons of the series are also available to stream on Peacock. 

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