Rockland Branch Discussion

I had to look up "pet coke." It's short for petroleum coke, a byproduct of refining. It's dirtier than coke or coal, but cement plants can burn it because limestone will absorb the sulfur dioxide.

Where is all this new cement business being shipped to?

I don't believe it is any new business. The cement is just going by rail now instead of barge.

I swung by Rockland yard today and was surprised to see the yard full. I took some quick pictures, but they are all too poor quality to post.

None of these cement loads are headed for Tresca, so it's definitely new business if it isn't Quebec bound...

Any news on the reopening of the plant in Wilmington? Is this a new/future destination?

https://youtu.be/h6Y3aB4FuZs

Here's a video of the two days of coke loads by Branchline Geep Productions.

Great to see them drum up that kind of business. I would think LPG and scrap would be something else they could go after.

Very cool! Does anyone know where the coke loads originate? I know the refineries in the Chicagoland area send out a lot.

Sounds like 10 cars went west today; 20 waiting to come east, including a perlite and another coke load. 2310 has apparently made it as far as Selkirk.

Went thru Rockland this afternoon. Nice to see the yard full of coke hoppers.

rb wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:21 pm Very cool! Does anyone know where the coke loads originate? I know the refineries in the Chicagoland area send out a lot.

These ones came out of Toledo

How does this affect pollution near the cement factory?

It's special carbon neutral coke.

Is that like Clear Coke?

2308 picking up 2310 and 23 cars at Brunswick today. They took 11 cars west.

22 of the 23 were empty cement, the first car has been spotted for ASA in West Bath.