https://youtu.be/-goKxjOI4nU.
On March 13th, K+S Potash Canada GP welcomed the arrival of the first third of custom built rail cars to it's Legacy Project mine site, enough to complete the first of three trains that will transport the company's product to its potash handling and storage facilities in Port Moody, British Columbia.
The rail cars will travel along 30km's of Canadian Pacific's recently constructed Belle Plaine subdivision, connecting the main line at Belle Plaine to 14 km's of industrial rail line, which is owned and will be operated by K+S Potash.
The rail cars were designed by National Steel Car and feature an industrial leading design suitable for the Legacy Project's state of the art facility. These cars will be loaded with product while in motion and have the capacity to hold the same volume as a regular rail car, in spite of being slightly shorter in length.
The above from The Canadian Mining Magazine Overview Saskatchewan
Pretty spiffy operation overall and good news for the Saskatchewan Mining scene.
Under a minute video on the link about the new cars.
Here is a video of the newly built cars arriving on site in Saskatchewan from longtime Hamilton, Ont. builder National Steel Car.
https://youtu.be/mtEO7PPUc0E
One more thing to add and I feel needs to be stated.
Most of you know me as a chap that Wanswheel stated "has a case of the disappearing railroad blues...worst case I ever saw". Well yeah...given my dithers, if I could snap my fingers and we had real Pullman's and train service to everywhere and lot's and lot's of steam that would suit me just fine.
However....something haunting about that video of the K+S hoppers being delivered to the minesite, thousands of miles, from Hamilton, Ont. to Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan. Look at the landscape...everyone thinks Saskatchewan is flat as a board, but that is rugged country. Also quite isolated and desolate. Winter, a real winter, lasts 5 months with a month of what passes for winter in most of the continent on either side of that.
It is 2017. A very unique and very state of the art Mining operation has been created here. A 30 km subdivision and a 17 km long spur has been created. This is a true testament to the indomitable spirit of man, of free markets, of nation building, of vision.
Nothing got in the way. Not nature. Not isolation, not bitter cold and howling winds. No whining. No safe zones, just creating. A healthy respect for the environment and laws of the land, true added value across the board for all, economic gain and truly unbelievable beautiful engineering and construction of the facilities themselves.
Remarkable to see in this day and age. I'm a happy guy, gives me back a lot of hope. That is the way it used to be! It's like the way I remembered it "Back in the day".
http://www.cpr.ca/en/community-site/Documents/Belle%20Plaine%20Spur%20Section%2098%20Application.pdf
Rather amused that CP did not provide a CP unit for the occasion. It's likely one of the UP 55xx series GEs that are very frequent visitors, perhaps paying back horsepower hours.
Terrific document Wanswheel. Wow. You continue to out do yourself and amaze.
Gives one an appreciation of all that is involved in such an endeavour.
Incredible really.
"If anyone wants to run away here, you can still see him running the day after tomorrow.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CudKAYFEcA8
http://www.mortonsalt.com/heritage-era/new-partnerships-a-big-birthday/
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/161992407
Had no idea that Morton Salt was part of the K+S holdings.
We truly live in a global world these days.
Does Morton still have their famous restaurant in Chicago?
Rail car manufacturing is a real boom/bust cycle industry..just as these hoppers were completed for K+S, National Steel Car announced significant layoffs. They have been around for a long time so it's nothing new but it has to be a difficult business to both manage and forecast for.
Not sure about the restaurant, as those seem to come and go (I've heard of Morton's Steakhouse!), but the Morton Arboretum is a more permanent legacy from the family. It's out in our neck of the woods (Lisle), and is worth a trip, whether you're interested in driving through, walking through, losing your kids in the maze garden, or whatever. We're proud members, Pat and I.I wonder whether those new cars will ever find their way down here!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Yes, Morton's Steakhouse that's it!
The cars are in unit train service only, going to Port Moody, British Columbia. Shipments to Asia and South America. No switching or yard delays anywhere. Also they are loaded while in motion.
Never say never though...markets, events, who knows what could change.
MiningmanYes, Morton's Steakhouse that's it! The cars are in unit train service only, going to Port Moody, British Columbia. Shipments to Asia and South America. No switching or yard delays anywhere. Also they are loaded while in motion. Never say never though...markets, events, who knows what could change.
If you are dealing with Export via water borne vessels - there will be yard delays at the port - one way or another. Vessel not on schedule, unloading equipment failures - the causes can be endless.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD- Yes of course, poor choice of "words" by me.
Here is CP's legal description of what a unit train is.
Unit Train” means a train in which all railcars are carrying the same commodity, and the cars are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route.
That is what I meant as well...in any case it is unlikely any get down to Chicago but who knows.
Miningman That is what I meant as well...in any case it is unlikely any get down to Chicago but who knows.
You'd be amazed at the amount of potash trains that head east out of Saskatchewan, the vast majority of which head south into the midwest U.S. (not sure where they end up after that). Sounds like K+S is only shipping to Vancouver right off the bat, but if they find other buyers stateside you can bet on those distinctive cars being seen in Chi-town.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70M-2Dude Miningman That is what I meant as well...in any case it is unlikely any get down to Chicago but who knows. You'd be amazed at the amount of potash trains that head east out of Saskatchewan, the vast majority of which head south into the midwest U.S. (not sure where they end up after that). Sounds like K+S is only shipping to Vancouver right off the bat, but if they find other buyers stateside you can bet on those distinctive cars being seen in Chi-town.
Curiously, while looking at one of the links Miningman provided on the new K+S Potash Mine; I saw another linked site for POTASHCORP's Facility in Hammond, IN. A large, rail-supplied, inbound potash storage, and bulk re-shipping facility, in the Southeaster Chicago area. That site is linked @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4JnGFLe1E4
Just a note: I suspect that the 300 or so new, bulk hopper cars for the K+S facility, according to the narrator on the first video; are intended for a 'captured service'/ Unit Train, link to Port Moody, B.C. (?) And most likely, would not wander far form that 'service'
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