Tonawanda Coke shutdown looming

[siliconwafer]

The media is full of reports regarding Tonawanda Coke. If the plant shuts down, what impact will that have on WNY rail operations? I am assuming they receive coal via rail and ship coke, their product, via rail as well.

[Otto Vondrak]

The media is full of reports regarding Tonawanda Coke. If the plant shuts down, what impact will that have on WNY rail operations? I am assuming they receive coal via rail and ship coke, their product, via rail as well.

The coke trains that go to Tonawanda are actually destined for a customer in Ontario that has no transload faciliy. The coal is trucked from Tonawanda to Ontario. Even if Tonawanda Coke shuts down, the unloading facility may remain active for that seasonal operation (otherwise they get their supply by boat during the regular shipping season). Time will tell.

-otto-

[nydepot]

Yes, they get in coal and ship coke. There will also be a bunch of critters needing a new home. That place has had quite a run of bad luck since they started, including a fire, I think.

[siliconwafer]

Tonawanda Coke is in the process of shutting down and has filed bankruptcy as reported by local media. One less rail customer? Does anyone have any insight into how this would affect rail operations in the area?

[Matt Langworthy]

Did the plant shut down yet?

[pumpers]

Did the plant shut down yet?

I guess we can change the name of the thread from "shutdown looming" to "has shutdown" (as of yesterday, Monday 10/15/18)
https://buffalonews.com/2018/10/16/tona ... ankruptcy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the last of the 30 coke ovens that were in operation at the site were shut down on Monday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said. Workers will continue purging the site's extensive system of gas lines and cooling its battery ovens throughout the week, the agency said.

[mowingman]

I wonder if this will affect Erie Coke also? Erie Coke is part of the same company that owns Tonawanda Coke.

[mkirsch]

Only if they're in violation of the environmental regulations, as Tonawanda allegedly was.

Maybe they aren't, and can shift operations there.

[pumpers]

The article says Tonawanda Coke is bankrupt. Don't know how that relates to Erie Coke , if their parent is bankrupt too, ...

[SST]

I had the opportunity a couple of years ago to put my boat into a slip just down the street from Tonawanda Coke. Fortunately, the wind was just right that the fumes from the plant crossed over the marina. Needless to say, I didn't put my boat there.

But it is a shame that another plant from the old days is going under. I would hope that somebody would try and save the infrastructure and turn it into a tour site. Show the people how this "thing" worked. Last year, I went to PIttsburgh and took the tour of the Carrie Furnace. It was amazing and learned quite a bit about it and how it worked. See their site: https://www.riversofsteel.com/preservat ... -furnaces/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


But this is Buffalo and we bulldoze everything. Lets see, we flattened Hanna Furnace, almost all of Bethlehem Steel [Locomotive repair shop still standing]. I'm sure Ton. Coke will get the axe too.

[sd80mac]

There's 2 plants by the river and that's all I can find. I would say the south one is coal plant and north one is coke. But I looked at material inside hopper car and they're large chunks size. Isn't coke suppose to be rolled up balls like ore??

and North one is not really large building.. What are they making at there??

[scottychaos]

Yes, they get in coal and ship coke. There will also be a bunch of critters needing a new home. That place has had quite a run of bad luck since they started, including a fire, I think.

Recent Google Earth imagery shows an EMD SW-something, probably OOS, and two working GE centercab switchers.

There was an Alco S3 there a decade ago:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/NYalcos/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?f=128&t=61477" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But I see no sign of it now..

Scot

[nydepot]

65 ton GE c/n 30957
25 ton #6 GE c/n 31557
SW9 #36 EMD c/n 16557
S-3 #1976 Alco c/n 80290 (derelict, missing)