The second season of the AMC western-drama television series Hell on Wheels premiered on August 12, 2012, and concluded on October 7, 2012.

In addition to the Gaytons, Jeremy Gold, John Shiban, and David Von Ancken also serve as series executive producers.

The season follows Cullen Bohannon, who joined a group of Rebel bandits robbing trains and planning to start a new Confederate colony in Mexico.

While last season's exterior filming took place on the Tsuu T’ina Nation indian reserve, this season's exterior were filmed near the Bow River in Calgary, allowing for bigger sets, approximately 3,002 feet (915 meters) of railroad track, and an extra locomotive and nearly a dozen loosely made, wooden structures to be built.

"[3] Dominique McElligott (Lily Bell) also spoke of the character changes: "When I arrived in Calgary and I read the script, my jaw dropped.

[6] The second season received a 60 out of 100 aggregate score, based on nine reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reception at Metacritic.

"[18] Verne Gay of Newsday gave it a B− and stated "the cast [...] is good, while the Old West still feels especially beautiful and perilous.

"[19] New York Magazine's Matt Zoller Seitz stated the show "still looks and sounds great, has a mostly capable cast, and delivers flat-out terrific Elam scenes, large-scale action set pieces, and lantern-lit images that reminded of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.