PEPCO (Alexandria, VA) Power Plant to Close

[riffian]

The Washington Post of Friday, 10/1, had an article covering the closing of the power plant on Alexandria's Potomac water front. Plant is to close prior to October, 2012, a move long sought by the City of Alexandria. This will probably put an end to NS operations east of Van Dorn St. Article also stated that Robinson Terminal (owned by the Wash Post) and railroad tracks would remain, but intimated that they would be next on the hit list. The City wants all of the river front property for public space and trail purposes.

Not sure what is left into Van Dorn, but the coal for the Pepco plant was a major shipper.

[Sand Box John]

The Robinson Terminal is used by the Post to receive newsprint shipments for their two printing plants. Their warehouse over in Springfield is adjacent to their Virginia printing plant, their other plant is in Collage Park just south of Greenbelt Road. Both printing plants have rail access for receiving newsprint. They stopped printing the newspaper in their 15 Street NW building in DC over 15 year years ago.

The newspaper division of the Washington Post Company has not been very profitable for the for some time now, I don't see the Post closing the Robinson Terminal on the Alexandria water front anytime soon as they would end of having to unload the newsprint at a port outside the Washington DC area which would result in higher shipping costs.

Not sure but I would hazard a guess they also handle newsprint shipments for The Examiner and Gannett (USA Today).

[SurlyKnuckle]

The Post siding in Greenbelt is no longer used for Washington Post cars, but it is used as a run-around for the 780 when it works west.

[Sand Box John]

The fact that they no long use the spur for receiving shipment will have no effect when you look at the big picture. Closing the Robinson Terminal water front facility would effect the Washington Post Company bottom line.

[Station Aficionado]

I believe the Post closed the College Park facility a couple of years ago, and now does all its printing at Springfield. Also, it's been some time since I've seen a freighter tied up at the Robinson Terminal facility (although if they arrive and depart at night, I'd never know it). I don't think closing the Robinson Terminal facility would have much impact on the Post. They can get all the newsprint they need (less and less over time as the printed paper has shrunk) by train or truck at the Springfield printing plant.

While the closure of the power plant will be a good thing clean air-wise, its removal (along with the possible closure of the Robinson Terminal facility and removal of the NS spur) will pretty much close the door on Old Town Alexandria's industrial past.

[strench707]

It will be sad to see the plant close. One thing about the plant is that its train usually has a red caboose on it as well, as you can see in the video I took here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgF0iKwl ... ideo_title

Its consist always varies. Usually it runs every day of the work week (may or may not run weekends). Sometimes it has the coal cars, somtimes potash cars, sometimes chemical covered hoppers, and sometimes boxcars for Robinson Terminal. Usually if the cars to the plant aren't present it at least runs with the boxcars, The cut of boxcars I have seen has ranged from 2 to something like 7 or 8 boxcars which isn't bad. The train usually runs out of the yard in Alexandria btween 10AM and 2PM, I have seen it many. many times. Last Thursday I was at Alexandria all day and it never showed, the first time it has ever done that.... I would really hate to see this operation go. Also, with the loss of the powerplant, the caboose will almost surely go too as they use it for long shove moves over crossings. Once the coal traffic is gone the trains will be very short and probably won't justify the caboose.

Davis

[CBRy]

A poster on another forum that I belong to has information
that the City of Alexandria has "made an offer that you can't
refuse" to WashPo to sell their newsprint plant. The city
wants ALL of the trains gone! Apparently the Washington Post
is considering this! So if you want pics or videos, you better
not wait too long!

I also think that this trackage was originally owned by the
Orange & Alexandria RR way back when, and also played into
the Washington and Old Dominion as part of their business.

I belive there is also an old RR tunnel in the vicinity of this
line that dates at least back to the Civil War and is still useable
as a walking tunnel and even has a placard describing the history.

[Station Aficionado]

I also think that this trackage was originally owned by the
Orange & Alexandria RR way back when, and also played into
the Washington and Old Dominion as part of their business.

I belive there is also an old RR tunnel in the vicinity of this
line that dates at least back to the Civil War and is still useable
as a walking tunnel and even has a placard describing the history.

The O&A connection is likely correct. O&A eventually became part of SOU, which merged into NS, which now owns the branch. Not sure about the relationship to W&OD.

The tunnel is the Wilkes Street Tunnel in the southern part of Old Town, right by the Safeway. It was in rr use until about 1985, and indeed is now a pedestrian path.

[riffian]

This morning's Washington Post had a large piece in the Metro section about the imminent closure of the power plant. The plant will permanently shut down at midnight tonight (Sunday, Sept. 30) and work to clear the site will start immediately. The article noted that there are 15,000 tons of coal on the ground, enough to power the plant for 5 days, which will be removed by rail. No one knows how far under ground the coal extends after 63 years of storage on the site, but the ground will be excavated and removed to whatever depth necessary. Article stated that the plant was used for peak periods only, but that it ran for 72 days straight this past summer. The article concluded by noting that there are only a handful of warehouses left to remind people of the Alexandria waterfront's industrial past, and that two of them are owned by Robinson Terminal, a subsidiary of the Washington Post.

[gpp111]

The Alexandria power plant has been operating for many decades. I find it interesting that people who live near the plant complain about it, even though most certainly, this plant was already there when the people chose to live where they do. But it is true, the plant has been allowed to go off line since the grid can be supplied from other, more distant sources. This is just one of many coal plants in the nation that are shutting down. I would think that the post facilities will be eliminated at the port, the value must be quite high if converted to other retail/residential purposes.

[riffian]

This morning's New York times had an article about newspapers selling their headquarters buildings to raise money. This due to the continued decline in US newspaper circulation and advertisement. As an aside the article mentioned that the Washington Post had up for sale both its headquarters building in DC and three warehouses in Alexandria. If no railroad necessary business purchases these warehouse, it would spell the end for the NS Alexandria trains and trackage. The reality is that the property is worth much more than the buildings above and there is almost no doubt that these properties will be redeveloped in to some type of residential/retail.

[RailVet]

The Robinson Terminal site will indeed be redeveloped for non-rail uses. See:

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013 ... ion-street" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Excerpt:
The sale of the Robinson Terminal warehouses in Alexandria to two different developers is likely to bring a boutique hotel, residences and retail to the Old Town waterfront in the next few years, just as proponents and opponents of the city’s contentious waterfront debate have predicted over the past 30 months.

[gprimr1]

I wonder if they will rip up the rail or leave it as part of the park.

[Station Aficionado]

I wonder if they will rip up the rail or leave it as part of the park.

Can't imagine they will leave it--a number of grade crossings that the city will gladly be rid of, other uses for the land, etc. I think we're just waiting now for NS to file the abandonment petition (although there may still be some coal at the power plant to be hauled away).

[strench707]

The power plant's switcher is gone now. It was taken from the Alexandria Plant to CSX Benning Yard in DC. Then a loaded coal train brought it down to the Morgantown, MD plant, which will be its new home.

Davis