Balloon track vs siding/spur

[jeaton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken

FM, I decline to give my name......there is a reason that alot of rails do not post their real names on these forums and that is ridicule at work. I will however tell you the info that I request from you. I am a conductor on the BNSF.

I'll take your word for it, since your contemptous attitude toward rail shippers is befitting a BNSF clone.

I had you pegged as some 12 year old Eric Cartman wannabe. Wouldn't suprise me if that turned out to be the case.

Me? You could have ascertained such by going through my profile.

I am self-employed. As for my connection with railroading, I own two patents on railcar design. I advise local EDC's on how to include the area railroads in their development plans. I am currently working as a consultant for a power company (no, Ed, I don't have an office window).

There's a storm abrewing between the energy sector and railroading, one that will make the ag vs railroads fight look like more of a spat, and that fight is going to end up in re-regulation of the railroads. Consumers might be oblivious to the effects of the railroad's abuses of the ag sector, but the energy sector has a direct effect on most US citizens, and as railroads continue to screw up coal deliveries and gouge utilities, this fight will end up as a regular event on the evening news.

2006 is the year of epiphany for railroads. If they continue to screw it up, there is no hope for them. Better sell that railroad stock now.

Dream On!

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal
If I am seeing correctly, it looks as if the faciltiy is located at a "Y" junction, and that there are several road crossings to deal with if loading longer trains was desired. Tough situation for unit trains.

The wye is part of the "industrial" trackage. The upper left corner leads out to the CSX main about 4 miles away, the lower left corner leads to the "west" yard, and the right corner leads to the co-gen and the east yard.

And yes, all of those crossings are a real pain when they are doubling out a train from the east yard, especially if they have problems getting the air straight.

[edblysard]

Dave, so, that lineman/cable guy job worked out?
Ed[:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken

FM, I decline to give my name......there is a reason that alot of rails do not post their real names on these forums and that is ridicule at work. I will however tell you the info that I request from you. I am a conductor on the BNSF.

I am self-employed. As for my connection with railroading, I own two patents on railcar design. I advise local EDC's on how to include the area railroads in their development plans. I am currently working as a consultant for a power company (no, Ed, I don't have an office window).

[ChuckCobleigh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Dave, so, that lineman/cable guy job worked out?

Hmm, I wonder what Chad would say to that?

[Anonymous]

I thought the bnsf stock was still going up....???!!!! Crap HONEY SELL SELL SELL!!!!
hehehehe

[Anonymous]

oh that was off topic this was about ballon track vs spur...not energy vs rails demise...

[rrandb]

The market place will ultimately dictate who builds what and where. If it is more cost effective to build balloon than siding then they follow the bottom line. Faster today is usually cheaper i.e. more product sold is more profit made. [2c] As always ENJOY

[Anonymous]

FM you are a complete moron. You say that I have a contemptous attitude toward shippers......When? I have a contemptious attitude toward people that talk outta their a**es like you. I am nothing like Cartman. I am more like Chef......Wannna taste some of my salty balls? I have a couple of patents as well. They are on muffler bearings and space modulators. Probably located right next to your file at the U.S. patent office.

[ajmiller]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken
I am nothing like Cartman. I am more like Chef......

I would have thought you would have been more of an iron Kenny.[;)]

[Kevin C. Smith]

I should mention here that much of the Wissor's grain carloads do not go offline anymore since two ethanol plants were built on the system, they eat up quite a bit of the grain that the elevators load. There are still loads destined for Chicago and points beyond, but it isn't as much as it used to be.

Randy, former Wissor employee

[Anonymous]

As with everything it boils down to money and space. I work for a company which has several elevators. The biggest constraint is space. An elevator located in a rural area can buy land most of time at less cost than urban areas. Building a balloon track requires several acres, because you buy all the land not just where the tracks run. Depending on the track, it could take about 160 acres. With average farm prices around $2500 per acre, cost of ground alone is $400,000. When you add the cost of track and building, you are probably around $1.5 million. Go to an urban area where a lot cost $20,000, which is just a small part of an acre. For some locations a small yard next to the tracks are their only option due to space and money.
If you build a balloon track you need to load several trains a month to justify the cost. The average covered hopper carries about 3500 bushel of grain times 110 cars equals 385,000 bu of grain. If you are loading two to three trains a month you are having to receive a lot of grain in order to load trains. Plus a bonus is that a shuttle can show anytime of the day and you have 15 hours to load the train to get the shuttle rate of shipping grain. Granted the railroad will give you a window when the train will show up, but do delays or weather they can change.

[Anonymous]

As with everything it boils down to money and space. I work for a company which has several elevators. The biggest constraint is space. An elevator located in a rural area can buy land most of time at less cost than urban areas. Building a balloon track requires several acres, because you buy all the land not just where the tracks run. Depending on the track, it could take about 160 acres. With average farm prices around $2500 per acre, cost of ground alone is $400,000. When you add the cost of track and building, you are probably around $1.5 million. Go to an urban area where a lot cost $20,000, which is just a small part of an acre. For some locations a small yard next to the tracks are their only option due to space and money.
If you build a balloon track you need to load several trains a month to justify the cost. The average covered hopper carries about 3500 bushel of grain times 110 cars equals 385,000 bu of grain. If you are loading two to three trains a month you are having to receive a lot of grain in order to load trains. Plus a bonus is that a shuttle can show anytime of the day and you have 15 hours to load the train to get the shuttle rate of shipping grain. Granted the railroad will give you a window when the train will show up, but do delays or weather they can change.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ajmiller

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken
I am nothing like Cartman. I am more like Chef......

I would have thought you would have been more of an iron Kenny.[;)]

O.K. that's funny....it took me a few minutes, but, thats a good one.

[ChuckCobleigh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken

QUOTE: Originally posted by ajmiller

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironken
I am nothing like Cartman. I am more like Chef......

I would have thought you would have been more of an iron Kenny.[;)]

O.K. that's funny....it took me a few minutes, but, thats a good one.

Without, of course, Kenny's usual ending, we hope.

[rvos1979]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kevin C. Smith


I should mention here that much of the Wissor's grain carloads do not go offline anymore since two ethanol plants were built on the system, they eat up quite a bit of the grain that the elevators load. There are still loads destined for Chicago and points beyond, but it isn't as much as it used to be.

Randy, former Wissor employee

Short haul traffic? Great! That's supposed to be the hardest to get away from the trucks, I thought. What's the distance you haul from elevator to plant? I may be wrong but I assume that being the originating & terminating carrier gives you a better rate than your division of a longer, offline haul?