54light15 There was a proposal to ship Toronto's garbage north by rail to an abandoned open pit mine in Kirkland Lake that was lined with granite. It would have provided jobs and work for the ONR but political correctness put a stop to it so it all goes to Michigan by truck. Funny how a country as big as Canada can't find a place on it's own soil to dump it's trash.
There was a proposal to ship Toronto's garbage north by rail to an abandoned open pit mine in Kirkland Lake that was lined with granite. It would have provided jobs and work for the ONR but political correctness put a stop to it so it all goes to Michigan by truck. Funny how a country as big as Canada can't find a place on it's own soil to dump it's trash.
The best part of that story is Jack Layton playing a Simpsons episode in a Toronto city council meeting.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
ttrraaffiiccThe Roanoke Valley Resource Authority is transitioning it trash transport to road. Being low value and non-time sensitive, trash is a perfect commodity for rail, yet here we see trucking taking over. Bottom line is, all commodities are eligible for truck conversion. What do you think of this move?
What do you think of this move?
I would like to know the reason that was given for making this change. Was it based on service, pricing, or what?
Murphy SidingMaybe the railroads just didn't want to haul the smelly garbage.
CSX is a trashy railroad.
They haul NYC trash to multiple points in the South and West. The movements are normally in 30 car cuts with each car containing 4 trash container bins.
There is a 6 days a week movement of trash from Fort Meade Jct, MD to Sealston, VA - which I believe ends up in a Co-gen plant. There is another 6 days a week movement between Gaithersburg, MD and Dickerson, MD - also to a Co-gen plant. Each of the Co-gen moves are between 20 and 30 cars per day.
I suspect there are more trash movements on CSX.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Maybe the railroads just didn't want to haul the smelly garbage.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
The county I live in owns a massive landfill. The biggest customer for it is the city of Chicago. Years ago when the county was getting ready to start construction of this landfill project they approached the then Southern Pacific about having a rail service from Chicago to the landfill. Close to 1000 tons a day for years in business. The county even offered to buy the cars and containers needed for this service. SP said no to the proposal. So 40 trucks a day run down to the landfill to dump the trash.
The landfill has a estimated date of filling even with Chicago using it in about 30 more years. The county is looking now into tapping the methane produced and putting in a power plant on site.
Toronto has shipped its trash to Michigan (240 miles) via truck for years.. Sitting in gridlocked traffic behind one of these trash trucks on a simmering hot summer day is less fun than it sounds..
It also appears that the railcars were worn out and needed to be replaced.
This particular move appears to travel about 30 miles, with a transload to/from trucks at both ends.
I'm surprised rail was ever selected for this in the first place.
It seems to be extremely short haul, also. All the trash here in Michigan and the stuff we import from Ontario comes by truck.
ttrraaffiiccWhen it comes to the movement of freight, there is no such thing as a safe commodity. https://roanoke.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/end-of-the-line-for-roanoke-valleys-trash-train/article_939ba6fa-931d-11eb-a722-535b52e136ba.html The Roanoke Valley Resource Authority is transitioning it trash transport to road. Being low value and non-time sensitive, trash is a perfect commodity for rail, yet here we see trucking taking over. Bottom line is, all commodities are eligible for truck conversion. Also cited in the article are electric and autonomous trucks which are anticipated to pose a significant, or even existential threat to rail freight. What do you think of this move?
https://roanoke.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/end-of-the-line-for-roanoke-valleys-trash-train/article_939ba6fa-931d-11eb-a722-535b52e136ba.html
The Roanoke Valley Resource Authority is transitioning it trash transport to road. Being low value and non-time sensitive, trash is a perfect commodity for rail, yet here we see trucking taking over. Bottom line is, all commodities are eligible for truck conversion.
Also cited in the article are electric and autonomous trucks which are anticipated to pose a significant, or even existential threat to rail freight.
Doubt Roanoke develops sufficient amount of trash to make rail a viable means of transport. Simply not enough volume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S758wEniU0c
When it comes to the movement of freight, there is no such thing as a safe commodity.
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