Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by TomDiehl [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH So, what's your point? I see a lot a words but nothing being said. [/quote] As opposed to saying little and still saying nothing as above?[}:)] What I am pointing out is the typical regurgitation of rail industry myths.... 1. "Trucks are the competition" 2. "Longer train consists are more efficient than shorter train consists" 3. "Trucks don't pay their fair share of highway funds" ....and refuting them.... 1. Trucks are not the competition for railroads. Outside of areas with waterways and coastal shipping opportunities, only railroads are the competition for railroads. The writer seems to think that when a trailer or container is taken off a truck and put on a railcar, the truckers are "losing" business to the railroads, when in fact the truckers are getting a net benefit by shipping their trailers and containers by rail instead of hauling them over the highways. If the truckers were losing to the railroads by utilizing TOFC and COFC, JB Hunt et al wouldn't allow a single trailer or domestic container to go by rail. Since TOFC and COFC is a win-win for both railroads and truckers, it is not a competitive arena, it is rather a cooperative arena. And I'm still waiting to here about those trucking companies bidding for coal hauling contracts out of the PRB! [/quote] From the Trains Newswire: Electric utilities in good shape for summer, says coal experts WASHINGTON - Electric utilities are in good shape for the upcoming summer months when the demand for electricity is at its highest, and have adequate coal stockpiles that continue to grow, according to the federal government, coal experts, and coal publications, the Association of American Railroads said yesterday. Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy, released a report stating that “coal stockpiles are well above last year’s levels. Platt’s Coal Trader, a leading trade publication, reported that “utilities have good stockpile levels of around 30 days,” and noted that many utilities have stopped buying coal on the spot market, due to strong inventory and the drop in natural gas prices. The AAR said U.S. railroads delivered 72 percent of the coal used by the nation’s coal-fired utility plants in 2005, a record. End of article. So, if trucks aren't the competition, maybe you can explain how the other 28% of the coal is getting to the power plants. [/quote] They're called "barges". Basically, a squarish steel bin that floats on water, and can typically hold the equivalent of 30 to 35 railcar loads per barge e.g. 3500 tons. A typical four barge tow holds the same as a typical unit train. So, where's that article that shows how trucks are the competition for those coal hauling contracts?
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag