KEN PATRICK wrote:tofc is limited by truck 80k hence the failure of earlier potato moves. cofc would have had a better chance since the railcar weight advantage over truck is better apportioned.
as for backhaul? railroad billing prevents utilization of the backhaul move. think about it. what o/d pairs have return traffic that can be handled in a fashion similar to the outbound. railroad billing systems cannot handle such a move even on a partial basis. in fact changing the destination for an empty move requires management involvement. and of course unit trains are far more expensive than cofc in merchandise trains.
based on earlier posts, i think cofc could reduce transportation by 1/2. wouldn't that permit farmers to enjoy more gross profit?
lastly, composite containers? more taxpayer grants chasing a non-starter. 20' corten container $10k us, $8k venezuela, $6k south korea. composite railcar- never. the students would be better served by avoiding these 'grants' ken patrick
It was actually comissioned by Homeland Security, take a look on Page 8.
http://www2.umaine.edu/aewc/images/stor ... 202012.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Someday, I envision manufacturing of windmill parts and/or composites to be a key export in the State and to replace lost mill jobs. If anyone is interested in a tour of the facility, feel free to PM me and I will see what I can arrange. Having gone on a few tours myself, it is quite impressive.