BNSF Birmingham Steel Trains

[Anonymous]

While listening to the Minneapolis Northtown Yard operations/dispatcher
channel I've been hearing references to Saunders-Birmingham Steel trains
passing through Minneapolis.

I >> think << the Birmingham Steel plant they refer-to is the one in the Seattle
area, and since the trains I've heard of originate in Saunders they must be
hauling taconite.

If the steel plant is indeed in the Seattle are, why would the trains be routed
through Minneapolis and not Saunders-Boyleston-Staples which would seem
to be the more direct route? Is it the rails on that former NP ROW can't handle
the ore trains?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

If the Birmingham Steel trains are hauling taconite, they probably aren't going to Seattle since I've never heard of an integrated steel mill in the state of Washington. They well may be headed to Birmingham since that is a major steel-producing center.

[Anonymous]

This is why I speculated on Seattle as the steel plant:

http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/greatpier/120/wsea.html

[Anonymous]

That is a minimill that remelts scrap. It does not have the ability to turn ore into iron, and then iron into steel.

[espeefoamer]

There is a steel mill in Portland.Maybe that's where the trains were headed.

[Anonymous]

I'll just have to keep listening and see if I can figure it out - maybe they are talking
about Birmingham down south.

I know I'd love to have a track chart detailing Northtown Yard. From the switch tender and yard operations instructions I can hear I'd bet I could track the movements of
trains pretty well within the yard limits. But I've no clue if such a chart could be found
that's legal for non-employees to have.