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Hey, trains can celebrate too! Here one of our little GE U-10's pulls the first cut of coal hoppers near the top of the America's. Did somebody bring the oxygen?By now most everyone in Jacksonville knows that Jaxport lost it's bid to develop the land north of Talleyrand, which is to be a giant bulk terminal. Some of you know that "Keystone Coal" is a big player in the project and the terminal, which will start with bulkheads for docking ships, and work it's way toward the road, it is a $100 Million dollar project. In fact it might have just as big, or bigger impact on our city, jobs, and port as the new container terminals near Blount Island. I did some translation of certain doccuments and wanted to offer this to you as, "the rest of the story..." With my usual photos tossed in for sense of place. (http://www.cambio.com.co/economiacambio/781/IMAGEN/IMAGEN-4318913-2.jpg)
New rotary dumpers, fillers, and dust wash, headed north boyz.QuoteWHY COAL?
With the largest coal reserves in Latin America, estimated at 7,000 million tons, Colombia is one of the leading suppliers of iron ore in the world and exports are rising. In 2000 it produced 27 million tons of coal, the figure last year totaled 70 million tons and the goal is that by 2010 will reach 110 million tons. Estimates of the Ministry of Mines are to have foreign exchange earnings by about 11,000 billion. Another relevant factor that led to the project is the country's geographical position, it is estimated that coal exports from Colombia will become more competitive to the U.S. and Europe compared to other strong mineral exporters such as Australia, South Africa and Indonesia.
Sort of, kind of, see how I got into this? Oh but there is more! Mucho Mas! You just have to wonder how this ended up in Jacksonville. Hee Hee.(http://www.cpampa.com/web/cpa/wp-content/uploads/pag-18-v2.jpg)
Okay, so maybe your vision of heaven doesn't include COAL, but mine does.QuoteThe Plan:
The Carare Railroad Corporation, an organization made up of 45 companies (with the exception of the Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta most are bankers), together with the Brazilian government, the National Roads Institute (InvÃas) and the Ministry of Transport, signed an agreement aimed to move forward with the coal train. The government defined the project as a public work and defined the mechanisms for allocating its construction.
The aim is to mobilize steel and thermal coal from departments (STATES) such as Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Santander and operate trains down the Magdalena River valley, (dropping from 8,000+ foot elevation to sea level)until arriving at the seaports of the Atlantic Coast. It is also contemplated that, through this type of transport, later you can promote trade in other goods for export.
Estimates by experts (how sweet) indicate that the work will cover a distance of between 800 and 900 (435 - 559 Miles) kilometers, of which 70 percent corresponds to the rehabilitation of railways and the rest to new infrastructure. Sources who have closely followed the proposal indicate that the general schedule provides, for the project, so that by the end of 2009 the railroad is operating.
The second stage plan is to build a port in northern Colombia, although its location has not yet been defined. Moving the ore to the ports now have a cost of between 38 and 40 dollars per ton. According to the Ministry of Transport, the rates are reduced, but this requires the coal producers to commit to a load of 10 million tons. That is the formula for financing and self-sustaining rail, while awaiting the formation of an entity that will independently handle rates and administration.
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To you non-railroaders, take my word, this is some SERIOUS power on the front of this narrow gauge freight, as it stretches out along the river valley, and rolls down to the sea, with 200 cars of COAL. No Maria, if you stall that Fiat in front of us, we are NOT STOPPING! Oh and that beautiful track? Eat your hearts out FEC, and you thought you were the only ones!! HA!~ Port Tampa loves to boast about it's tonnage, 99% of which is phosphate rock... Well move over suckers because do I have a surprise for y'all. (http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/boyaca/16deseptiembrede2008/IMAGEN/IMAGEN-4532006-1.jpg)
HEY RAIL AMERICA! DO I HAVE A DEAL FOR YOU! Seriously though if anyone out there has a cool million or so, to invest in Jacksonvilles Port, I mean Colombia, let me know.QuoteThe Colombian coal rail transport industry, is looking for an investor interested in supporting the construction of several sections covering 550 km of railway Carare.
While part of the project already has some sections built by The National Railway Company, it is still necessary to complete certain other segments.
Coal railroads carry the ore from the mines, located in the central-eastern Colombia, to ports that are on the north coast.
Once it has the partner, the railroad would be ready within two to three years and allow a 35% reduction of transportation costs.
In February the Government of Colombia ruled out the possibility of it becoming a partner in the Carare Railroad project, which requires a total investment of U.S. $ 1,200 million and will join the departments (STATES) of Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Santander on the Caribbean coast.
Brazilian entrepreneurs expressed their interest in funding 70% of the work, with IDB support.
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Okay, so I asked for a train set for Christmas and look what I got! Weeeee! (We have 90 of these JUST TO PLAY WITH), how cool is that?OCKLAWAHA
Ock-
Not to go flying too far afield, what does this story mean, exactly, for the development of JaxPort? Will this help open the port up to the other rail carriers and make it more attractive or competitive, or just the opposite? I like the idea of the development, but am not sure of its value or impact. Any direction would be appreciated.
JAXPORT Wins $6 Million Grant for Rail
Thomas L. Gallagher | Oct 7, 2009 1:32PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story
Class I Railroads | Short Lines | Ports/Terminals | Maritime | United States
Port to rebuild track for Blount Island terminal
The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $6 million Economic Development Administration grant to the Jacksonville Port Authority to help improve the Blount Island Marine Terminal railroad system. JAXPORT said it will use the grant to rebuild existing track and rail ties.
This award is the result of a grant proposal submitted by the port earlier this year in response to a competitive funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The award is not part of any federal stimulus program. JAXPORT will contribute $1.7 million in matching funds to the project.
CSX Transportation moves cargo along the 14-mile single-track Blount Island rail system owned by JAXPORT. The railroad serves both the terminal and the U.S. Marine Corps unit on Blount Island.
The project will lay 3.5 miles of new rail to replace worn portions of the 40-year-old system.
Approximately 80 percent of all JAXPORT container cargo moves through Blount Island, the port’s largest marine terminal; more than 30 percent of Blount Island cargo moves by rail and the rest by truck.
JAXPORT moved nearly 8.5 million tons of cargo in 2008
This is pretty much a grant to cover the costs of long deferred maintenance, something WAY too many non-railroaders fall prey to. Railroads are very capital intensive and slacking on "maintenance of the way," can lead to disasters. These 14 miles, I imagine are mostly on the island it's self, and that 3.5 miles of new rail might be a reference to getting the track relaid down to the first of the new container terminals.
We should encourage JaxPort to contract a regular railroad maintenance gang to cover every inch of that trackage at least yearly. Some of the smallest problems can become huge, more so on our sandy soil. Weeds, dirt, mud, anything interfearing with the clean tamped ballast is a future problem spot. Even though our port is in the Tonnage business, most port operators over look the tons that are compressing those rails as the cars roll over them. Once puddles, soil or such starts to show its self, pumping action will cause liquefaction and knock the hell out of what ever $$ we have invested.
I wish it were better news, something like, new intermodal trackage, or neutral terminal access, but we're just not there yet.
As for my Colombian article, understand that every bit of those black diamonds coming to the USA are going to come through Jacksonville. I can see a couple of full crew trains added to the Talleyrand jobs, as well as many millions in high dollar and high tech investments and jobs at dockside. The fun part for me is I get to see it as good from either end! VIVA COLOMBIA! VIVA JACKSONVILLE!
OCKLAWAHA