Good News for you Powder River guys...

This came up in the search for news this morning for a class project:

Don't be surprised if the local rail crossing is busier than usual.

Union Pacific is moving record trainloads of coal from Wyoming's Southern Powder River Basin and coal-producing mines in Colorado and Utah to the nation's utilities.

The railroad moved 20 million tons of coal from the SPRB, Colorado and Utah during November, an increase of nearly 8 percent from a year earlier. UP averaged 35.7 trains per day, the third best mark in the Wyoming region.

November saw the best daily train numbers of the year at 11.6 trains per day in moving Colorado and Utah coal. UP also set size records during October and November, averaging 15,135 tons for trains moving out of the SPRB, an increase of 200 tons over last year's average.

The railroad credited a new wheel-changing process at Bailey Yard in North Platte, Neb., for helping it achieve the tonnage record. The new process changes wheels without removing cars from a train and saves handling and processing time.

The enhancement potentially could increase train tonnage out of the SPRB by more than 750,000 tons next year with no additional train starts, according to a news release from the railroad.

"These records and process improvements are just two more examples of how committed Union Pacific employees are to meeting our customers' needs," said Jim Young, UP's president and CEO.

Additional rail line improvements are expected to boost 2007 coal volume. The completion of a third main line south of Reno Junction, Wyo., and five new train landing tracks just completed at the mines will help boost capacity on the Joint Line owned by UP and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe to more than 375 million tons.

The Joint Line is expected to support 351 million tons of coal this year. Future improvements, including building a third main line north of Reno Junction and a fourth main line south of Nacco Junction, Wyo., are expected to boost the capacity to more than 450 million tons per year.

Grading is under way on both projects, with completion planned for late next year.

Spunds like UP maybe moving a lot more coal to the eastern and western powerplants.

Now also mentioned in the article is a rail wheel changing process. Can someone explain this? I have tried Google and Ask.com but cannot find any info.

Exactly what it says there James. They can change a wheel out on a coal train without removing it from the train.

You expect me to read?!?!?! LOL Yes, I know!!! I just wanted to know, how, how they,switched it,without,moving the car?

Seems like changing the truck would require less time....

Ahhh dont know. That "grabber" on that front end loader looks like it works pretty slick at snatching wheels. Dont think it would be that easy sliding in a whole truck assembly.

UPRR engineer wrote:Ahhh dont know. That "grabber" on that front end loader looks like it works pretty slick at snatching wheels. Dont think it would be that easy sliding in a whole truck assembly.

I was basing my comment from the pic. It LQQKs like the rail car has been jacked up, truck and all. Do they jack up the truck just enough to remove the wheel axel set?

Sorry UP, they won't show???? Am I did then what was.

What wont show James???

The photos UP..... : P

I can see them. Look down.

Sorry, Still can't its ok....

Common Sence says, spell it "common sense"........ The pictures are quite clear. You might be having technical problems, Jimmy, they are pretty cool looking, actually........

On a choo choo, Gravity connects the truck to the center bearing and shackle assemblies connect between the underframe and the truck to presumably hold the truck to the choo choo during a derailment. How does a rail car connect to its truck?

Ok, I'll try another computer after the new year. i am expecting a laptop for X-mas. so we will see.

Golden> I spell worse than CSXT 700... LMAO