Ka-Ching!

[Mookie]

Any ballpark figures on:

What is the value of a loaded coal train, commodity only. Or if you feel really frisky - the whole train - not a problem.

Is freight charged by distance and weight only or is it ever charged extra because it is hazardous material? Do they charge for high priority service as opposed to get it there in a reasonable time? (something like USPS)

Don't need exacts - It isn't going to affect my checkbook. Just ballpark figures and/or comments. And as usual, don't get too technical.

Untech Mook

[JoeKoh]

Mookie
green or norange engines?
stay safe
joe

[Mookie]

bet you already know the answer to that one, Joe! [8D]

[zardoz]

Mookie-
Back in 1990 (the last time I saw the figures) a Powder River coal train to Pleasant Prairie, WI cost WEPCO (Wisconsin Electric Power Co) 1¢ per ton per mile. Doesn't sound like much, but at 15,000 tons and a distance of just under 1000miles, that adds up to around $150,000 per train, just for transportation.

BTW--Once superconducting materials are economic to produce (perhaps just a few years away) the coal train will be a thing of the past, as all power will be generated at mine-mouth generating facilities, and sent over superconducting wires throughout the country.

I do not know any figures for any other commodities.

[coalminer3]

Good Morning Mookie:

Following relates to commodity.

Tonnage prices vary for coal.

In general - lower prices if you have a long term contract.; higher prices if you buy on the spot market.

Prices vary also according to the kind of coal and the amount of preparation involved.

I won't even get into shipping rates as you didn't want to get too technical.

BTW, National Mining Association and US Geological Survey websites have lots of useful information. You can also get prices on the net pretty easily. You'll see what I mean by variance.

Hope this helps.

work safe

[mikeyuhas]

Hey Mookie,

Good visiting with you last week!

I'm always amazed at the price of coal (cheap) vs. cost of transport. An electrical generating utility buying coal under contract from a mine in the Southern Powder River Basin would typically spend about $7 per short ton for the coal, which is up a couple bucks since my visit to Wyoming a few years ago. Transportation is where the value is.

The US Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration's website (http://www.eia.doe.gov) says the 2003 average delivered price for a ton of coal is $25.39. Let's say a typical train consists of 113 cars of 100-ton hoppers (don't hold me to those values), so the utility would be paying about $340,226 per trainload -- of which only $79,100 is for the coal itself!

I'm not sure if the $25.39 figure includes the amortized cost of equipment (i.e., utility-owned hoppers). If not, there's another expense.

Hope this helps,
Your friend,
Mike(y)

[Mookie]

Yeah - that helps! I am thinking if I hi-jacked a train - what could I sell it for on the black market. Well actually, I am pondering just how much $ is running in front of my eyes and when you multiply that by the 10 coal trains I saw last Sat and the 5 freight trains (which we haven't even started on pricing), that is a little steep! And that was only about 2.5 hours worth - imagine 24/7......wow........ wow........... (can you tell, I am impressed!)

And if as Zardoz points out - coal trains cease to exist, then what becomes of the railroads?

[Mookie]

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

[mikeyuhas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

Please Do!

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

Please Do!

Meanwhile back at the secret (evil) Kalmbach World HQ, Mikey snaps picture with Kalmbach/CIA female employee code named "Mookie"...a woman selected to portray a mature, yet fun loving female railfan to post on site. Operation KITTY LITTER continues........

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

It had better be of a very tall blonde or there will be trouble! I have a feeling Photoshop will dissolve after all that work!

Moo

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

Please Do!

Meanwhile back at the secret (evil) Kalmbach World HQ, Mikey snaps picture with Kalmbach/CIA female employee code named "Mookie"...a woman selected to portray a mature, yet fun loving female railfan to post on site. Operation KITTY LITTER continues........

Tree - don't encourage this nonsense.

Dan - you used mature which everyone knows isn't true, so right away you are suspect in your suspicions!

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Tree - don't encourage this nonsense.

AWWWWWWWWWWWW![:-,]

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

Please Do!

Meanwhile back at the secret (evil) Kalmbach World HQ, Mikey snaps picture with Kalmbach/CIA female employee code named "Mookie"...a woman selected to portray a mature, yet fun loving female railfan to post on site. Operation KITTY LITTER continues........

Tree - don't encourage this nonsense.

Dan - you used mature which everyone knows isn't true, so right away you are suspect in your suspicions!

I see you have been well trained in the four pillars of inter-staff warfare......

1. Deny
2. Feign Ignorance
3. Counter-Accuse
4. Shift Blame

[Anonymous]

Oh what music to one in the financial services charge business and in an earlier time in my life I built those power plants. Simply take the one train and multiply that by three and you have the average number of trains daily to a coal fired generating plant such as one that is near Macon Georgia named Scherer. One unit of 818,000 Kw burns one train a day, There are three units out of four runing 365, 24/7. Multilply that by the three other plants that are a part of the same service with the Big Black horse. It is not hard to see why the utility business is captial and expense intensive and why the Railroad loves them so much. To give both of them both credit this has made about as efficent a service as you can get for electric power this side of the nuclear or hyro-electric realm. That term ka-ching does ring well for the holders of utility and rail stocks, great Dividends and a good future.

[edblysard]

Ignore the transplanted Texan, post the photos...

Ed

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

(I told you he was here - but some of you didn't believe me, did you!)

Nice try!

Am I going to have to post the picture, Mookie?

[JoeKoh]

pictures are worth a thousand words
secret agent Auntie mookies picture with face in chocolate cake priceless
stay safe
Matthew

[CShaveRR]

The picture my rider took of me, with Mookie and Millie in the background, doesn't flatter any of us (with the possible exception of Millie). But for you skeptics, this is a pretty elaborate hoax...I went to Lincoln, called a Lincoln phone number, and she was there with her entourage (Driver and Millie) in twenty minutes flat...on two separate occasions!

[locomutt]

DARN!
I was starting to believe it actually was an elaborate hoax[:D][}:)]

Actually,that was a good question.

[Puckdropper]

It's an elaboarte hoax. How elaborate? Using satellite broadcasting, a robot Mookie is at Kalmbach HQ, responding to commands transmitted by a hidden device on the real Mookie's head. That's why she seems a little slow to answer at times! Weekends are the worst for signals, for some reason, so she's offline. ;-)

[miniwyo]

Well not to be off topic... or on topic, How much do you think all the trains out of the Powder river coal company are worth, What about every coal train out of wyoming??
Also how about the trains containing soda ash and other trona products?

Sorry for the continuance of the question but i am a Wyoming citizen (Rock Springs) and the powder river coal thing got me to thinking.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by piouslion

Oh what music to one in the financial services charge business and in an earlier time in my life I built those power plants. Simply take the one train and multiply that by three and you have the average number of trains daily to a coal fired generating plant such as one that is near Macon Georgia named Scherer. One unit of 818,000 Kw burns one train a day, There are three units out of four runing 365, 24/7. Multilply that by the three other plants that are a part of the same service with the Big Black horse. It is not hard to see why the utility business is captial and expense intensive and why the Railroad loves them so much. To give both of them both credit this has made about as efficent a service as you can get for electric power this side of the nuclear or hyro-electric realm. That term ka-ching does ring well for the holders of utility and rail stocks, great Dividends and a good future.

Oh my! This really does give me food for thought! (no wise-cracks guys - we are having a serious discussion here!) We have one of those coal-fired plants here in SE Nebraska!

Thanx for info!

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

The picture my rider took of me, with Mookie and Millie in the background, doesn't flatter any of us (with the possible exception of Millie). But for you skeptics, this is a pretty elaborate hoax...I went to Lincoln, called a Lincoln phone number, and she was there with her entourage (Driver and Millie) in twenty minutes flat...on two separate occasions!

Mookie doesn't know how to take a flattering picture! Not her best point! Actually still looking for her really best point - maybe on top?

Did I tell you I had to change the phone number after you left - security reasons you know! Don't want Dan to call!

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

pictures are worth a thousand words
secret agent Auntie mookies picture with face in chocolate cake priceless
stay safe
Matthew

Matt - Didn't Daddy tell you not to share family secrets with strangers?

AM

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by miniwyo

Well not to be off topic... or on topic, How much do you think all the trains out of the Powder river coal company are worth, What about every coal train out of wyoming??
Also how about the trains containing soda ash and other trona products?

Sorry for the continuance of the question but i am a Wyoming citizen (Rock Springs) and the powder river coal thing got me to thinking.

And when you find out how much coal is coming out of the area, think about how long it will take before it runs out? It will boggle your mind - and I know there are a couple of people on here who can make that prediction.

Mookie - Nebraska

PS - who actually owns all that coal before it is dug out?

[Mookie]

Ahem! This posting is like the mosquito one - you have to wave away all those pesky mosquitos before you can do some serious gardening.

Reprints of this brilliant statement available - contact Mookie

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

The picture my rider took of me, with Mookie and Millie in the background, doesn't flatter any of us (with the possible exception of Millie). But for you skeptics, this is a pretty elaborate hoax...I went to Lincoln, called a Lincoln phone number, and she was there with her entourage (Driver and Millie) in twenty minutes flat...on two separate occasions!

Mookie doesn't know how to take a flattering picture! Not her best point! Actually still looking for her really best point - maybe on top?

Did I tell you I had to change the phone number after you left - security reasons you know! Don't want Dan to call!

Yeah ....don't want that delivery from www.coalgiftbaskets.com to go to the wrong house........or should I just send it to Kalmbach........hmmmmm

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Ahem! This posting is like the mosquito one - you have to wave away all those pesky mosquitos before you can do some serious gardening.

Reprints of this brilliant statement available - contact Mookie

Hello Mookie: I am glad to see that the subject can be maintained. If you put the average amount of .02/ton/mile to 110ton loads per car with an average of 86 cars to he train at a distance of 1960 miles Craig CO to near Macon GA, you get an idea of the kind of money we are talking about. It is a pleasure to meet you and to write you on such a topic as this - With Kindest Regards, Piouslion[ ^][;)][tup]