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  • Sharp Energy propane facility in Princes Anne Maryland

  • Discussion pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Discussion pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Moderator: therock

 #1270855  by Sand Box John
 
Sharp Energy is increasing the unloading capacity at their propane facility south of Princes Anne. The contractor doing the work demolished the 3 existing unloading platforms in preparation to construct what looks like will be 5 new unloading platforms. They moved to fence that surround the facility north to allow the lengthening of the unloading track and have removed the top soil north of the bumper post to prepare the sub grade for the longer unloading track. Ties and turnout ties have been delivered to the site, Not sure what the turnout ties are for, maybe they plan to rebuild the turnout south of its existing location.
 #1271984  by Sand Box John
 
Found out what the turnout ties are for, they are adding a second track east of the existing track. Looks like Sharp Energy will be able to unload more the twice as many cars when all is said and done. Prior to the closing there were platforms for unloading 3 cars, base on the length of extension on the existing track plus the second track it looks like it could be as many a 10.
 #1287452  by Sand Box John
 
The second track has been in for several weeks now. The new unloading platform between the tracks was completed this week. The new unloading capacity will be 6 cars. The pipe fitters are running the piping from the new manifold that connects to the storage tanks to the unloading platforms.
 #1293854  by Sand Box John
 
The new unload facility appears to be nearly done. A single tank car was spotted on the west side of the unloading platform at the south end but was not connected for unloading.

Will take pictures next week and post them with some Google Street View pictures of the old unloading platforms.
 #1298837  by Sand Box John
 
"Teutobergerwald"
Is this an NS customer, or another line?


Yes, Norfolk Southern Delmarva sub mile post 118.5. East side of MD US-13 about 2 miles south of Princess Ann Maryland.

18 cars have been unloaded sense the new loading platform went on line in late September. Storage tanks have been installed on the 6 set new saddles sense platform went on line. The piping to connect the 6 additional storage tanks to the existing piping has not been done yet.
 #1315327  by Sand Box John
 
More storage tanks have been delivered to the facility, 2 on 01 28 2015, 1 on 01 29 2015. Saw the 2 on westbound MD US-50 in Wye Mills 01 28 2015, saw the 1 turning off MD US-13 into the facility on 01 29 2015.
 #1327779  by Sand Box John
 
Saddles to support the tank delivered back in February were delivered and installed this week. 4 (correction) 6 new tanks will be added to the 12 that are there now, 6 original tanks and 6 tanks added as part of the expansion to the facility last year.
 #1335528  by piker
 
I spent some time in the area in April and drove by to check it out. Sharp is advertising hard on the radio pointing out that they have the most gas storage on Delmarva. Evidently there have been shortages the last few winters
Down the tracks in New Church Va on the Bay Coast I came across a new siding project at Coastline Chemicals. They appear to make antifreeze products and usually have 3 or4 tanks on their siding. A crew was either adding or rebuilding a siding to the east. I could not tell if it was for the current customer or a new use.
 #1335802  by Sand Box John
 
"piker"
I spent some time in the area in April and drove by to check it out. Sharp is advertising hard on the radio pointing out that they have the most gas storage on Delmarva. Evidently there have been shortages the last few winters.


Must be advertising on stations I don't listen to as I have never heard about that. I have been a customer of Sharp Energy sense I moved over here 11 years ago, never heard about any shortages.

Suburban Propane has a unloading facility in Fruitland, last time I saw a car in there was over 10 years ago.

There is a propane unloading facility adjacent to the Perdue Agribusiness on the east side of Salisbury off Zion Church Road.

Don't know who owns the unloading facility east of Hurlock in Williamsburg on the Maryland & Delaware, The facility has capacity to unload more the twice as many cars as Princess Anne but has half the storage capacity.

Down the tracks in New Church Va on the Bay Coast I came across a new siding project at Coastline Chemicals. They appear to make antifreeze products and usually have 3 or4 tanks on their siding. A crew was either adding or rebuilding a siding to the east. I could not tell if it was for the current customer or a new use.

Didn't know that was there. Go down there every other week to purchase smokes. Have to go by there to check out.
 #1335887  by RichM
 
There was a relatively severe regional propane shortage the winter of 2013-2014 from the Midwest east. Most residential consumers might not have seen it, but wholesale prices spiked about 3-4 times average annual costs. There was ample supply in the southwest but limited means to move it, and that product that could go over the road or rail was often weather restricted.

As such, many facilities increased both their storage capacity and their "take or pay" commitments. More tankers were added to the road fleets, and several new mid-stream strippng facilities came on-line in the fracking areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania. This past winter saw one of the best (cheapest) winter heating seasons ever.

http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/? ... &months=60" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1338680  by RockGp40
 
Sand Box John wrote:"piker"

Don't know who owns the unloading facility east of Hurlock in Williamsburg on the Maryland & Delaware RR. The facility has capacity to unload more than twice as many cars as Princess Anne but has half the storage capacity.


That is Tri-Gas & OIl's facility. They have the ability to unload up to 12 cars at a time. It's deceiving as we can put 20 cars in on both of their tracks from the first tower back and another one in front of the new track's first tower (21 cars total). We'll sometimes leave a spacer in that first spot for the empties pull. As for storage, the trucks pull in and out of there all day long during winter months. No need to store it when it's sold so quickly.

Pep-Up in Selbyville, DE, also has the means to unload railcars.