Didn’t UP once service a large cement plant in the Weber Canyon? It was off the main line somewhere west of the tunnels (where the line crosses over itself to run normal again). I recall the quarry was right on site, so all UP had to do was haul away finished product.
I couldn’t help but to put up a pic I took of the cement plant in Tehachapi. They make great railfan sites.
Although I believe most of the cement plants served by rail in central California are defunct, the U.P. still serves a cement plant in Davenport on the Pacific Coast, 10 miles west of Santa Cruz on former S.P. trackage. In Santa Cruz last week, I saw a three-unit diesel lashup pulling a train of open hoppers with coal and empty covered hoppers on their way to the cement plant.
I didn’t know that the Missouri had enough water in it lately for barge traffic.
Here is a link to a FAQ on the cement shortage updated to Nov. 2004 by the Portland Cement Association.
http://www.cement.org/pca/shortageQA.asp
I think some may find it of interest.
Jim
There use to be a Blue Circle Cement silo’s in Solvay , NY which is now Lehigh Cement that bring it in by rail then transfers it to trucks to area plants for use. This is served by csx several cars a week.
Is this the end point of the once every two week or so coal train that I see on its way on UP trackage on its way towards Oakland from Roseville (its my only chance that I get to see unpatched SP AC4400s). I didn’t think CA had any coal burning power plants so I had wondered where the load ended up going.
SP9033 is there still a train that goes out on the old SP line from Fernley to chemical plant in Wabuska. Haven’t been down to Mason Valley in a while but was curious if that plant was still there. Had to stop for the local one time at a crossing while racing in a desert race. Talk about to greats at one time!
Thanks
The Wabuska local is called 6 days a week, Monday - Saturday and works east to Hazen, NV were it travels south on the former SP Mina branch. It only works to Wabuska as needed. Last time I chased it, they turned at Appian, NV. I haven’t been to Wabuska since that plastic plant closed some 3 or so years ago. Been told there are a couple of reloads taking place there that ship and/or receive cars.
Jim
CSX has plenty of cement trains that come in MOW cars very seldum. NS even has a few that go by.
The grain trains will sometimes have unpatched SP AC4400CWs. I saw SP 100 on one today and photographed it three times.
There are actually some small coal fired cogeneration plants in California. If I remember correctly, IMC Chemical’s (http://www.imcchemicals.com/) Trona plant has one. I seems like I heard that the cogeneration plant north of Bakersfield (by Highway 65) burns coal. However, I know of no cogeneration plants (or power plants) up there that would burn coal.
Those trains may be going to a port. I thought Levin Terminals (in Richmond) handled coal, however, I do not see it on the list. Where do you see those trains? If it is before the Fresno Line splits off or before the junction with the old WP line (assuming there is a junction), they may be going to the Port of Stockton (http:/
I see them at work in Davis, so they are definately headed somewhere on or near the coast. I haven’t seen anything with regards to plants that even partially use coal. The tree huggers really despise coal even if you refire with CNG. I thought that they might be shipping the coal but was unaware of any loading facilities in San Francisco bay.
Any thought
Well I can tell you that there is cement being shipped south from Vancouver, BC. I have observed an increasing number of 2 bay BNSF Hoppers coming from the Richmond Lafarge plant. The shipments started about 3 or 4 months ago, last time I counted the average train was carring 20-30 cars. CN picks up the cars in Richmond and takes them to the New Westminster yard where they are interchanged with BNSF. From there the train crosses the Fraser river and is marshalled. After that it heads south along the BNSF Bellingham sub to the border and Washington state.
Both Levin Terminal (http://www.levinterminal.com/index.html) and the Port of Redwood City (http://www.redwoodcityport.com/html/facilities.html) handle dry bulk. However, I did not see anything that looked like coal at Redwood City (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.510028,-122.207365&spn=0.015793,0.022058&t=k&hl=en). Levin Terminal does not list coal as one of the products handled. It does list coke, which is what could be the black stuff in the photograph (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.921500,-122.364864&spn=0.007896,0.011029&t=k&hl=en) I thought I have heard of them handling coal train in PRN. I will have to dig out by May 1996 issue which had an article about them and see what it says.
Here in Nazareth, Pennsylvania Buzzi Unichem still ships some by rail. Most by truck unfortunately however. My wife works for them and computes the weights that ship out. She says about 25% ships by rail. Served by Norfolk Southern they just built a new terminal to increase rail transport. 100% of the coal to fire the kilns is brought in by rail.