NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

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TrainWatcher
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NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by TrainWatcher »

Ashtabula is being idled, all coal being now routed to Sandusky. From Boatnerd.com
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bluestreak81
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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by bluestreak81 »

This could have been avoided. There's no reason the coal industry should be suffering when the US has more coal to export than any other country in the world. But we all know why this is happening and the person responsible.

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AARR
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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by AARR »

While it doesn't help having an a federal administration implementing policies that interfere with the coal industries business operations the pollutants expelled by the coal in this region has made it less economical than other types of coal and that probably has as much if not more so to do with it's dwindling usage.
bluestreak81 wrote:This could have been avoided. There's no reason the coal industry should be suffering when the US has more coal to export than any other country in the world. But we all know why this is happening and the person responsible.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by bdconrail29 »

This is slightly off-topic, but I don't understand NS's routing anymore. They are literally CRAMMING everything into that Bellevue/Sandusky area. Maybe I just can't see the big picture in all of this but I can't help but wonder if half of the on-time-performance problems weren't just due to that.

Oh well, too bad for Ashtabula.
Brett

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by heartlandguy »

bdconrail29 wrote:This is slightly off-topic, but I don't understand NS's routing anymore. They are literally CRAMMING everything into that Bellevue/Sandusky area. Maybe I just can't see the big picture in all of this but I can't help but wonder if half of the on-time-performance problems weren't just due to that.

Oh well, too bad for Ashtabula.
But it looks good on paper!

Back to Ashtabula, the hits just keep on coming I guess. Unfortunately we will see more of this into 2016 as the railroads continue to slash away at what they deem as "excess".
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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by OSRR »

bdconrail29 wrote:This is slightly off-topic, but I don't understand NS's routing anymore. They are literally CRAMMING everything into that Bellevue/Sandusky area. Maybe I just can't see the big picture in all of this but I can't help but wonder if half of the on-time-performance problems weren't just due to that.

Oh well, too bad for Ashtabula.
Bellevue is a mess. The yard wasn't originally built to handle the amount of traffic it does now.

The Sandusky district is usually pretty slow to move trains (The auto router program they uses doesn't help either) and from what I hear/have heard from the guys that work out of Belleuve, most districts coming in to Bellevue are just as bad.

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by Notch 8 »

OSRR wrote:
Bellevue is a mess. The yard wasn't originally built to handle the amount of traffic it does now.
You are correct ! And that's why they spent $160,000,000 to increase capacity

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by brc0227 »

Notch 8 wrote:
OSRR wrote:
Bellevue is a mess. The yard wasn't originally built to handle the amount of traffic it does now.
You are correct ! And that's why they spent $160,000,000 to increase capacity
And yet the only real capacity they increased was the classification yard. They didn't do much it anything to the receiving yard. And majority of the lines coming in an out of Bellevue are single track. Hard to get that much freight moved in and out like that.

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by bdconrail29 »

In NS's defense the last few times at Oak Harbor everything seemed to be very fluid in and out of Bellevue and the intermodals were very timely.
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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by bluestreak81 »

30 jobs will be lost according to the News-Herald. The article also explains that this new efficiency will help the railroad appear strong as an independent railroad to its investors without needing to merge with CP.

http://www.news-herald.com/general-news ... ks-in-ohio

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by redside20 »

I work next to the Dayton District out on Phillipi Road in West Columbus and I'm starting to wonder if traffic has picked up on the Dayton District because the time passes by so fast at work so it seems like there running like streetcars. I hear on average about 2 trains every two to three hours in my 9 to 5 shift so things appeared to be normal there. I visited Watkins Yard two weekends ago and everything seems fluid there. Saw a few trains pass by at top speed and the yard looked almost empty so I'm also thinking that NS operations appear to be kossier, at least thats the way my mind and eyes appear to interpret as. BTW I'm heading up to Bellevue next weekend and would like to witness this "yard congestion" myself.

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by redside20 »

Keep in mind that NS still has plenty of escape routes and alternate routings still available..for how long though is a different matter. The biggest one obviously is the Pennsy, The Marion Branch and the Dayton District also offer alternative routes as does the NS line south of Columbus. The West Virginia could be another option, but it's looking more and more like a liability as NS looks to save those dollars. Who knows. Even though the Ashtabula coal docks are idled, that line of there's to Youngstown and Meadville could be viewed as an alternate route as does the Ohio Central to Newark, Coshocton and beyond. You never know what NS is gonna do. I'm thinking as a strategy, NS is looking to cash in on the customers that were lost under CP's reign in the Northeastern United States but where are they going to route that traffic..Certainly not Bellevue. Could it be Buckeye Yard? lol...

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by bdconrail29 »

I think coal traffic on NS is so low right now anyways it won't affect congestion in the Bellevue/Sandusky area anyways. At least, not for awhile.
Brett

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Re: NS to idle Ashtabula coal docks

Unread post by jrgerber »

I understand that less coal traffic is upsetting to some, but currently wind and solar power make up 15% of the US energy production which I view as a positive. Cheap renewable energy is the key to making the US manufacturers competitive which will increase railroad traffic and benefit individual consumers. At some point in the next 10-20 years I expect more advances in solar energy which cut into the use of coal. Don't forget more appliances are getting more energy efficient as well.

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