RailRoadFan.com

DaveO wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:21 pm

Coal fired power plants can leave behind stuff that makes residential use ill-advised.

Was done on Lake Charlevoix at a former coal plant. Prob not common but has been done.

might have some cleanup unit trains after it dies?

Anyone thought there might be a long-term goal as a result of this event for CSX to abandon Harlem to Ferrysburg in order to get rid of the costly swing bridge in Ferrysburg and G&W can just relay the tracks from Freemont to White Cloud? When Campbell is gone there’s really nothing running north of Harlem aside from the MI Shore and can just run their traffic via Wyoming Yard and eliminate switching in Holland.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:42 pm

pog

I never thought I'd see the day

You can't be using that term in this boomer infested site young man

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:01 am

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:58 am

Consumers: "We will be closing our plant in 2025"
CSX: "hmmmm"
LSRC: (lurking in the shadows) "excellent"

Also (PH&D):

DTE: "We will be closing our plant in 2022"
CSX: "hmmmm"
LSRC: (lurking in the shadows) "excellent"

It sounds like that will actually happen, especially after losing Domtar.

CN already told LSRC that they won’t get trackage rights over Flint->PH like CSX currently has. It makes for a lot less profitable venture if you can’t run it yourself.

Sean N wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:26 pm

DaveO wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:21 pm

Coal fired power plants can leave behind stuff that makes residential use ill-advised.

Was done on Lake Charlevoix at a former coal plant. Prob not common but has been done.

All of the hazmat ash is stored well away from the lakefront.

However, there isn’t as much land value as one might expect. All of the Lake Michigan lakefront is already developed, so demolishing the plant would only add some Lake Pigeon waterfront. Much of the land between the plant and the lake is protected dune.

Then inland, the land is no more valuable than the surrounding area, which is to say it’s pretty cheap.

Steve B wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:26 am

Plannerdad wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 7:55 pm

Closing a perfectly good power plant, meeting the AQ standards, will hurt a lot of rail and power plant jobs, as well as rail service in WM. Wind does not do well on hot, windless days, when the demand is high.

I suspect that the planners at Consumers have access to just a bit more info than we do, and if they felt like this wasn't feasible and profitable, they wouldn't do it. This is a voluntary move years earlier than any governmental body is requiring.

I am sure CE has a lot more information than me. That is why they have started peak demand pricing, they know they will not have enough power without buying it from more expensive sources during the peaks. This is not good for railroads or rate payers. Oh well, it was going to happen eventually I guess.

Racer wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:14 pm

...and G&W can just relay the tracks from Freemont to White Cloud?

J T wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:29 pm

Racer wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:14 pm

...and G&W can just relay the tracks from Freemont to White Cloud?

It has been discussed in the past as a cost cutting measure instead of replacing the bridge in Ferrysburg.

The customers will be using truck / transload long before any track is laid. The ROW appears to be compromised in several locations and bridges appear to be missing.

Schteinkuh wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:46 am

David Collins wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:42 pm

pog

I never thought I'd see the day

You can't be using that term in this boomer infested site young man

well guess what I just did

Racer wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:01 pm

J T wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:29 pm

Racer wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:14 pm

...and G&W can just relay the tracks from Freemont to White Cloud?

It has been discussed in the past as a cost cutting measure instead of replacing the bridge in Ferrysburg.

It's a laughable fantasy.

Digging this up, West Olive may not be closing as soon as they want it to: https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/ju ... wer-plant/

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 11, 2022 4:37 pm

Digging this up, West Olive may not be closing as soon as they want it to: https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/ju ... wer-plant/

Ahh yes, chocked full of complaints for the people who only care about "decarbonization", not whether or not people have access to affordable electricity.

Perhaps recent events in Eurasia should make people reconsider reliance on natural gas, with global prices spiking and production domestically hobbled by an administration that would rather we import oil from overseas rather than drill for it domestically, just to appease a loud minority who obviously don't have to worry about their monthly energy bills.

98% of our imported gas is from Canada. Of the remaining 2%, 80% comes from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nat ... xports.php

Plannerdad wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:58 pm

I am sure CE has a lot more information than me. That is why they have started peak demand pricing, they know they will not have enough power without buying it from more expensive sources during the peaks.

Peak demand is training to get customers used to what is to come. Look carefully at what Consumers Energy is publishing. CE is not replacing all of the capacity going off line when West Olive closes. The plan to go off coal includes a 15% reduction in electrical use. How do you drive a reduction? Higher prices or limit access.

Racer wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:14 pm

G&W can just relay the tracks from Freemont to White Cloud?

How many cars would G&W move and what would they add in profit? The right of way is not intact so there is land to purchase. $1M+ per mile to lay track plus land clearing, bridges/culverts, grade crossing protection (cross bucks won't do). Will the shippers/receivers guarantee the investment?

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 14, 2022 4:59 pm

Peak demand is training to get customers used to what is to come. Look carefully at what Consumers Energy is publishing. CE is not replacing all of the capacity going off line when West Olive closes. The plan to go off coal includes a 15% reduction in electrical use. How do you drive a reduction? Higher prices or limit access.

With the government and auto industry pushing electric cars so hard that math doesn't add up....

It's dependent on advances in wind/solar generation and battery storage. Consumers mentions that in their plans as well. So once Campbell goes off line you'll have to decide if to plug in your electric car when you go to bed or leave the AC on and take the bus to work in the morning.

It has to do with they have gotten contracts such that it makes it the smart choice to use natural gas.

Back in the 70s and 80s the Holland Road Knights motorcycle club/gang had their clubhouse next to the tracks very near the power plant and it was always entertaining watching them and the trains