[DemforBush]

Well, I bet Hillary can gets us lots of coal from Indonesia.

/sarc

[Nightrider]

all things eventualy change....more expensive or no, they will have to convert to more efficient, more available, cleaner energy and come into the 21st century....

[DH]

The US rail system is one of the most inefficient, labor union intensive, incompetent systems in the world.

They are the civilian equivalent of the Postal Service.

[FreedomPoster]

Yet another reason to push for more central station nuclear generation.

[Ken522]

When I was a kid in Colorado, we always used to watch these long coal trains go trundling down the tracks - when you're stuck in the back seat, all you can do is count the rail cars!

[chief_bigfoot]

Here's another aspect where W and the gov't have failed us. As with the gasoline 'crisis', we are sorely lacking in keeping up and expanding the infrastructure required to fuel our nation. No refineries built since the 70s. Now this article that points out that no new track has been added in years. Hmmm, let's see, can you say enviromentalists and lawyers? How long is W going to stand by and let this situation deteriorate during a time of war before he takes action to remedy it. I know he's made noises about it, but no action that I've heard of. Isn't an executive order to suspend some of the enviromental impact studies and such the kick start that is desperately needed for the construction of oil refineries, nuclear power plants, and added rail capacity (although the last one isn't as vital if we shift more to nuke power)? During the Clintoon administration it seemed as if he was signing an executive order every other day (can you say Grand Staircase Escalante?). And that was during 'peacetime'.

[Larry Lucido]

Ken Dannager and Dagney Taggert would have had this figured out by now.

[Brilliant]

The two main shippers of U.S. coal - BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad - say they are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in order to ship more Wyoming coal and keep up with an ever growing demand for power.




Our rail system is in sorry need of an upgrade.

[iowamark]

Thank you for the link to the Alliance for Rail Competition

the Alliance for Rail Competition believes that the introduction of elements of market-based competition into the railroad marketplace is critical in order to maintain and enhance the national and global competitiveness of the railroads' customers.

I believe that the US railroads and their unions are corrupt and inefficient and this corruption hurts US competitiveness.

[meyer]

Maybe AMTRAK could make money if they started hauling coal instead of empty taxpayer-funded cars.

On a more serious note, this is but one aspect of our nation's infrastructure that is suffering due to demand outstripping supply. As we continue to (illegally) import excess people, we will continue to see the stresses on our energy supply, water, sewer, roads, schools, and other aspects of "common" infrastructure.

[DManA]

A railroad wants to ship Powder River coal right through the heart of Rochester Mn. The CEO of Mayo Clinic says get out of town. Feds want to give the railroad a couple of billion with one hand while bad mouthing them at the same time. Crazy stuff:

http://sev.prnewswire.com/transportation-trucking-railroad/20060508/CGM02408052006-1.html

[mmercier]

no one will give a spit until the lights go off for a week or so.

[em2vn]

"...1,125 tons of coal an hour at full throttle."
Help me out on this. Maybe I am just a skeptic at heart but this seems like a tremendous amount of coal to provide energy to 1.6 million homes.
Are any of you familiar with the workings and of a coal fired generating plant and able to substantiate that the 1,125 tons figure is correct?

[dhuffman@awod.com]

A small constant fraction of coal residue is radioactive. Times a zillion tons burned gives us a ton and more per day in the environment, where it started but where you can get to it. Dilution is the solution to pollution.

[epow]

I would love to see the railroads make a comeback in the common carrier business. If it would get some of the heavy trucks off our highways I would be willing to wait a day or two longer to have my goods delivered.

The interstate highway system in this general area,(outer Atlanta metro)is becoming one long line of big trucks running well over the speed limit. If you're in their way you don't get any consideration, unless you're willing to run 10-15 mph over the limit all you will see in your rear view mirrors is the grill of a Peterbilt 10 feet behind your bumper. If a car is involved in an accident with a semi truck there is no doubt about which party is going to walk away without a scratch and which one will be hauled away by the meat wagon.

[mountainlyons]

The environmentalists are destroying this country as planned. Why not gasify coal in place and have some pipelines? Why not use a slurry coal pipeline? Build a nuclear plant close to coal and use waste heat to gasify coal and use the power for the mines. A lot could be done if we did not have eco terrorists in our mists.

[DJ MacWoW]

Railroad ping

[bert]

Did the Navajo mines on black Meas Recently close? I somehoe think this very large operation was shut down recently. It supplied coal to power plants in AZ