Coal Transport: Utility-->PRB-->Utility

[elidiament]

Im doing some research and am looking for an in-depth, step, by step detailed process of how coal is transported. Specifically, I am wondering how a train knows that it needs to get coal to a generation plant (how does the utility company tell them). What steps does the train have to go through to get permission to run on the line, how is it tracked? Who loads the train in PRB and gives it directions in and out? Who walks the train to ensure its set to go? Who unloads the train at the utility? As you can see, I'm looking for a pretty in-depth step by step process for what happens and how utilities get their coal. Thanks so much and I appreciate all of your help!

[route_rock]

Well I can give you some of the info. Powder River sub runs the trains there I do believe the mine loads them adn our Dispatchers run the main lines.
Now to my experience with them. Loaded coal comes out of Lincoln Nebraska to Creston Iowa, If I am working that board and there in Creston thats about what I can expect to get out of there going to Galesburg. When you get on your train there will be a work order laying there showing locos cars tonnage and feet. Sometimes you can figure out where it is going (for offline moves) and who is taking it.Once on board we get a track warrant to x on the Ottumwa Sub and head out of town.Most trains wind up in Galesburg and swap crews to go to chicago,some go to Burlington and then down the K line. I have been on MTYS out of ISU plant in Ottumwa and thats a cake job either direction.We do have a few trains we drop at the IC&E in Ottumwa as well.
Power plants have contracts with the mines and the railroad calling for x ammount of coal per year. if we fall down on it they get paid x amount of dollars ( as explained to me by older conductors) If a power plants stockpile is getting real low you will see coal trains pass Z's as we dont want to get the power plants mad.
MTY"s back is just as easy. Get on ride em to crew change get off.
Utilities usually unload hteir own trains. ISU uses a cable to pull the train into the dumper. Power is left on the train and it is isolated.Its a neat process to watch.
Any thing else you might need drop me a line.

[TB Diamond]

The electric utility companies sign delivery contracts with the RRs. Some own their own trains of hopper cars and some lease same. The amount of coal needed is based on power generating needs. Some power plants such as the NPPD Gerald Gentleman II station near Sutherland, NE has its own traffic manager who basically controls the coal train traffic into the plant. He is in constant communication with the RR as to the location of each of his trains and can hold trains at the plant or inform the RR to hold a train outside the plant.
Worked a terminal that serviced two large generating stations. In the early 1980s a RR crew unloaded trains at the plants. Later, one plant began to unload their own trains. The other plant still utilizes RR crews to unload the trains, at least as of late 2002. Trains are unloaded automatically via rotary dumper and machinery that pulls the entire train along and spots each car for unloading.
Worked the PRB for several years, as well. In the early 1980s the RR had a loading pool that loaded all trains at the various mines. As a cost-cutting measure, by 1986 road crews loaded their own trains, insuring 12+ hour days (the deadhead home did not count as "service"). By the early 1990s the loading pool was resumed, but road crews continued to load trains until relieved. In the late 1990s the mines began to hire non-union loading crews via a contractor. I believe that all mines now have contract loading in the PRB, but I have been away since 2000.
Coal trains out of the PRB on the Orin Line East get inspected at Guernsey, WY. Same for hopper (empty) trains going west up the Orin Line. Coal trains going west on the Orin Line and then east through Edgemont, SD are inspected at Alliance, NE and the same for westbound hopper trains.
Coal trains departing the various mines must receive permission from the dispatcher to do so. All the lines I once worked are CTC and train movement is authorized by signal indication.