• Who gets coal east of Rochester NY?

  • Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.

Moderator: MEC407

  by J.D. Lang
 
I was just now watching the Fairport NY Virtual Rain Cam and a loaded eastbound CSX coal train just went by. I can't think of any place east of Rochester that receives coal except the Bow NH powerplant. Does anyone know if they have a load coming?
  by newpylong
 
Bow is supposed to get some this quarter but isn't there a place on the River line that gets them too?
  by J.D. Lang
 
You're right LaFarge Cement in Ravena on the river line gets coal for their kilns. Someone posted that in the CSX forum. So that's where that train was probably headed.
  by Safetee
 
those unit trains of coal for lafarge ravena are not carrying just any old coal. it's coking coal, a key ingredient in the manufacture of cement.
  by johnpbarlow
 
Here are screen grabs from the Fairport Live cam of 77 car coal train N619-17 passing east on the West Shore at 1202 Friday 1/28/22. The train log associated with the cam says N619 is "coal loads - Newell, PA to Worcester, MA (PAR)". I'm guessing CSX will add DPU(s) to lift the train over the Berkshires on its way to Worcester.

Newell PA is a CSX yard along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
  by kitchin
 
I've been to Lafarge Ravena, during the annual shutdown for cleaning. They might also use barge transportation on the Hudson, can't recall. That was about ten years ago. Wikipedia: "As of 2016, Lafarge is completing a $300 million upgrade to its Ravena plant that includes a new dry-process cement kiln that will replace two 50-year-old wet-process kilns. The new kiln will use less coal and emit fewer pollutants, including a 66% reduction in mercury emissions, while increasing production capacity. It will also take less water from the Hudson River, getting most of its water from the nearby limestone quarry that feeds the plant." (It turned out to be $500m.)
  by johnpbarlow
 
Apparently the loaded coal train sat in Selkirk for several days and now it seems that CSX/PAR is breaking it down into blocks to be sent east. Twenty hopper loads went east on the marker of Q426 Thursday 2/3/22.
  by johnpbarlow
 
Another block of 20 loaded CSX coal hoppers were forwarded to Worcester on Friday's Q426 out of Selkirk.
  by CN9634
 
Probably couldn't take it all at once but for reasons that are extremely political the coal fire generator at Bow is unfortunately going to be an important plant this year.
  by taracer
 
Not a crew shortage, a self -inflicted power shortage due to PSR and weather. They no longer keep backup power in Selkirk or run light power moves and haven't since the PSR regime took over 5 years ago. Everything gets relayed from other trains.
  by BobbyT
 
Power has indeed been their Achilles heel since PSR, but right now they are definitely having crew issues as well.
  by newpylong
 
Nope, it's neither actually. Not only have the moves been hush hush but they're being broken down at the request of Pan Am to avoid any track blockages by protesters, political issues, etc.