TEXAS
ISSUE 1 | 2020
TEARDOWN!
Navigating the Changing Fly Ash Beneficial Use Markets Federal Regulations Boost Market for Coal Ash Transportation
Reflections: Charles Barney
W E N This device allows for the fast and efficient release of hazardous stored energy (compressed air) from the door dump system components (reservoir, filter, valve, cylinder and connecting lines) in one easy motion. Simply push the red knob to exhaust the system. Add a safety pad lock or OSHA approved “LOCKOUT/TAGOUT” hasp for multiple safety locks and the door dump system is depressurized and can safely be accessed for servicing. Once service procedures have been completed, the system is easily re-pressurized by removing the lock or hasp and locks and pulling the knob out. Use of this device is a huge time saver and adds a layer of safety for personnel while servicing or working near the door dump components on a rail car.
Features and Benefits • High flow design allows rapid release of hazardous stored energy (compressed air) • Can easily be retrofitted to any bottom dump car door circuit • Can only be locked in the exhausted (safe) position • Base is ported on both sides allowing maximum plumbing flexibility
isolation valve is based on the same The “sliding shoe” design that has been used in our Original Series and Second Generation Railcar Valves for more than 30 years. This design is extremely tolerant of the rust, scale and moisture typically found in railcar airlines. In addition to use on railcars, this valve can be used on any type of outdoor equipment, machinery or device that needs to be safely exhausted of hazardous stored energy (compressed air) per OSHA 1910.147 “LOCKOUT/TAGOUT” procedures.
Website: www.lexairinc.com E-mail: jjennings@lexairinc.com Ph: 859-255-5001 Fax: 859-255-6656
Contents Texas Teardown! A Demonstration of High Mileage Railcar Maintenance at LCRA
8
Navigating the Changing Fly Ash Beneficial Use Markets
2
Message from the NCTA President Emily Regis
4
Message from the NCTA Executive Director John Ward
6
Government Affairs Update John Ward
13
In and Around NCTA
18
Editors: John Simpson
©2020 NCTA. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part, without the prior written consent of NCTA. The opinions expressed by the authors of the articles appearing in the Coal Transporter are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the NCTA, its Board of Directors or its member companies. Publication of the articles does not constitute an endorsement of the views that may be expressed.
30
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National Coal Transportation Association
Production By: Suckerpunch Creative Inc. info@suckerpunch.ca www.suckerpunch.ca
Reflections: Charles Barney
DEPARTMENTS
16
Melinda Canter Phone: (720) 227-1049 melinda@movecoal.org
16
FEATURES
PUBLISHED BY:
8181 Arista Place, Suite 100 Broomfield, CO 80021 Telephone: (801) 560-9801 www.movecoal.org
ISSUE 1 | 2020
2 2 3 0
Texas Teardown! A Demonstration of High-Mileage Railcar Maintenance at LCRA By Steve Dobies, Vice President of Technical Services, A. Stucki Company Navigating the Changing Fly Ash Beneficial Use Markets By Terese Hunwick, Vice President, Supply Chain – Fly Ash, Boral Resources Federal Regulations Boost Market for Coal Ash Transportation By Joe Laubenstein, Director of CCR Management, Waste Connections
25
NCTA Welcomes its Newest Members
2 8
Rivers, Rails, and RETAC By Emily Regis, President, NCTA
2019 NCTA Scholarship Recipients
35
Calendar of Events
3 6
NCTA Membership List
3 6
Index to Advertisers
Reflections: Charles Barney A Life of Public Service
CONFERENCES 14
NCTA 2020 Spring Conference Preview Scottsdale, AZ, April 6-9, 2020
2 0
O&M Conference Preview Durango, CO, June 8-10, 2020
26
Fall Conference Review Baltimore, MD, September 9-11, 2019
COAL TRANSPORTER | 1
President’s Report / Emily Regis
A Message from NCTA President Emily Regis
A
s we kick off the year 2020, and as NCTA President, I want to welcome you to the third decade of the 21st century, the 2020th year of the Common Era, and the first year of the ’20s decade. 2020 is a year already marked by radical political positions and choices, and for NCTA 2020 is the 46th year of hosting excellent conferences. NCTA has been around since the 1970s, a decade in which on a typical day you might have been checking your mood ring while listening to an 8-track tape or feeding your pet rock. Back then, we were called the Western Coal Transportation Association, with the primary purposes and objectives of promoting the orderly and effective transportation of coal and ensuring that adequate services, facilities, and equipment would be available for coal transportation. Additionally, there was the need to educate and inform members and the public on issues related to the use and efficient transportation of coal. Those priorities, developed during the “Me Era,” still ring true in these days of volatile energy market forces and prevailing social and political headwinds. Hindsight being 20/20, it’s fun to look back at how some predictions of the future compare with today’s reality. A few of the more misguided prognostications include timeshares in space, flying cars, and miracle pills that cure every malady known to man. My favorite comes from a 1957 Popular Mechanics article predicting that by the year 2020 all roads would be replaced with tubes, and all transportation would be via pneumatic power to any desired destination. Imagine coal being transported by pneumatic tube! I would not discourage the development of pneumatically powered coal transportation. As long as it is economically competitive, I’m all for it! Moreover, it would not be inconceivable for engineers to accomplish such a feat. Just think of the technological development and computing power incorporated into 2 | COAL TRANSPORTER
your cell phone today that in the 1970s required room-sized computers. I use mine as a camera, flashlight, compass, map, calendar, address book, shopping list, metronome, and to make dinner reservations, to name just a few of its useful functions. I can even track a coal train’s location on two different railroad system apps and locate missing railcars while sending e-mail notes to long lists of recipients, confident that the information will be sent and received in a matter of seconds. The speed and efficiency of press-button technology gets to me every time. The day is coming when you will press a button and a drone will be delivering a carton of milk to your doorstep. What’s next, the advent of coal delivery by drone? I’ve worn glasses since I was five years old. I do not have perfect vision; 20/20 eyesight was just not in the cards for me. But I like to think perfect vision has not so much to do with how far our eyes can see without assistance, but in how we see the world and what particular lens we choose to see it through. In broader terms, what is our vision of the future? What predictions can we make about this decade? You can bet that technological advancements, and modernization of many things about the world as we now know it, will prove to be astonishing and unpredictable in the years to come. As of the beginning of this new decade, we are actually experiencing some of the greatest improvements in human living standards in history. Extreme poverty has fallen to record lows; global economic inequality has been plunging; child mortality continues to drop; famine is almost non-existent; and malaria, polio, and heart disease are all declining. However, this information will not make the news, because good news is no news. Nonetheless, despite all the attempts to keep good news from you, here is one headline that you might not read in the usual newsfeeds: coal is still a viable commodity, and NCTA is going strong and plans to be around for a long time. I call that a perfect vision!
Photo iStock.com/ bombuscreative
WELCOME TO 2020, THE YEAR OF PERFECT VISION!
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Executive Director’s Report / John Ward
A message from NCTA Executive Director John Ward
MOVING FROM ISSUES TO ENGAGEMENT
H
ere’s a bit of NCTA Executive Director trivia: Q. What’s his favorite holiday? A. That’s right! Happy New Year! And if every new year brings with it loads of invigorating challenges and opportunities, just think of how rewarding it can be to kick off a whole new decade. My first several months on the NCTA job went about as expected: drinking from a firehose to learn more about the coal transportation industry and a whirlwind of activity getting my feet on the floor. Initiatives in 2019 included a beefed-up emphasis on issues engagement. We launched the popular new bi-weekly On Track newsletter. And we engaged assertively in a number of U.S. Surface Transportation Board rulemakings, including testifying on behalf of coal shippers at two STB public hearings. (See Government Affairs Update in this edition of Coal Transporter.) As we enter 2020, that focus on providing useful and timely information to our members and transportation policymakers will continue. We have plans for a remake of the movecoal.org website, and we will work to expand and deepen the content of this magazine. But just talking about the issues is not enough. We live in a consolidating industry that faces challenges on multiple fronts. To be effective in this environment, we need to think differently and try new things. We need to move from just talking about issues to engaging people. NCTA’s niche in coal transportation is unique. No other organization is focused solely on the management of the billions of dollars of invested capital in coal transportation infrastructure and on the day-to-day operations of that network. Smart maintenance and cost-effective operations of our nation’s coal fleet and associated facilities are a vital cog in the wheel of the evolving coal industry. An example of the value NCTA can provide in this niche was evident this February in Smithville, Texas, where the Lower Colorado River Authority graciously hosted an NCTA railcar teardown event. (See the cover article in this edition of Coal Transporter.) Prospective attendees had to be put on a waiting list as the shop filled to capacity. Those who did get in commented that the in-person demonstration of railcar parts and inspection methods provided invaluable insights that likely couldn’t be found any other way. NCTA’s ever-popular Operations and Maintenance Conference—scheduled for June 8-10, 2020, at the Historic 4 | COAL TRANSPORTER
Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado—is another example of the kind of program that fills our unique niche. Kudos to NCTA’s O&M Committee, which works diligently to assemble programs that are informative, topical, and responsive to what’s actually going on in the field. (For example, current issues of interest include corrosion in aging coal cars, equipment wear impacts of longer train sets, and determining the most cost-effective preventive maintenance strategies.) For 2020, I’m excited to report that we are working on three new initiatives—all intended to increase meaningful engagement with NCTA members and prospective members: • At the NCTA Spring Conference—scheduled April 6-9, 2020, at the beautiful Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona—we will conduct the first-ever “Scholarship Scramble.” This fun and entertaining golf event will financially benefit the NCTA family scholarship program and simultaneously provide new opportunities for business networking—including new high-visibility sponsorship opportunities at very accessible prices. • At last fall’s Annual Business Meeting and Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, we introduced the concept of “Adjacent Commodities” programming, which recognizes that coal transportation professionals are usually also responsible for managing the flow of other commodities entering and exiting power plants. (Think lime, limestone, powdered activated carbon and other emissions control reagents, and huge volumes of coal combustion products. See still more articles in this edition of Coal Transporter.) This initiative has already enticed new members to join NCTA and will be part of our conference programming this year. • Later in 2020, we plan to launch what I am calling “NCTA University”—a comprehensive series of webinars in a variety of subject areas that are useful to coal transportation professionals. These webinars will be archived and grow to become a durable and valuable training tool because, let’s face it folks, a lot of our coal transportation professionals are going to be retiring over the next several years. Let’s capture that institutional knowledge while we can. There are plenty of challenges working in any industry that is consolidating. But challenges also present opportunities. I’m excited for the next decade of pursuing those opportunities with NCTA. And I promise we will have some fun along the way.
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Government Affairs Update / John Ward
NCTA AND THE STB Engaging in Transportation Public Policy for Coal Shippers
By John Ward, Executive Director, NCTA
D
uring 2019, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board moved forward on a large number of rulemaking proceedings—many with potential impacts for coal shippers. National Coal Transportation Association responded with a series of public comment filings and testified at two Washington, DC, public hearings. NCTA participated in a marathon two-day, 17.5-hour oversight hearing before the STB on May 22-23, 2019, regarding railroad demurrage and accessorial charges. The coal industry was represented at the hearing by three witnesses on the last panel to take the stand. Bette Whalen, President, Western Coal Traffic League; Emily Regis, Vice President, Freight Rail Customer Alliance; and John Ward, Executive Director, National Coal Transportation Association, summarized each organization’s written comments and answered questions by STB members. Ward appeared before the STB again on December 12, 2019, in a hearing concerning proposed revisions to “Railroad Revenue Adequacy” methodologies. NCTA supported several reforms to revenue adequacy determination methodologies identified by the STB Rate Reform Task Force, which issued a report in April.
The complete list of NCTA STB filings from 2019 and early 2020 includes: STB: Cost-Benefit Analysis NCTA Filing January 31, 2020, Docket No. EP 752 STB: Preemption of Clean Water Act Discharge Prohibitions Letter of Support for the Association of American Railroads Petition for Declaratory Order December 17, 2019 STB: Railroad Revenue Adequacy NCTA Oral Testimony December 11, 2019, Docket No. EP 761 STB: Railroad Revenue Adequacy NCTA Filing November 26, 2019, Docket No. EP 722 STB: Market Dominance Streamlined Approach NCTA Filing November 12, 2019, Docket No. EP 756 STB: Demurrage and Accessorial Charges Policy Statement and Demurrage Billing Requirements NCTA Filing November 6, 2019, Docket Nos. EP 757 and EP 759
STB: Oversight Hearing on Demurrage and Accessorial Charges NCTA Filing for the Hearing Date May 22-23, 2019, Docket No. EP 754 Copies of all of NCTA’s comment filings can be found in the “Publications” section of the movecoal.org website.
6 | COAL TRANSPORTER
Photo: David Brossard
STB: Oversight Hearing on Demurrage and Accessorial Charges NCTA Oral Testimony May 23, 2019, Docket No. EP 754
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COAL TRANSPORTER | 7
TEXAS TEARDOWN! Railcar Maintenance / Texas Teardown
8 | COAL TRANSPORTER
A Demonstration of High-Mileage Railcar Maintenance at LCRA By Steve Dobies, Vice President of Technical Services, A. Stucki Company
HIGH COUNTRY RAILCAR
I
t was a cold, rainy couple of days in the central Texas town of Smithville, southeast of Austin, where NCTA members gathered for an in-depth demonstration of high-mileage railcar maintenance—a “Texas teardown.” Indeed, winter weather more befitting that of the northeastern U.S. greeted those in attendance at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), which graciously afforded NCTA’s Operation and Maintenance (O&M) group the opportunity to observe and learn from their operation. Despite the conditions, NCTA’s utility membership showed up in numbers, with personnel from railroads, utilities, suppliers, lease companies, and repair shops descending on the small community from all parts of the country. “Don’t mess with Texas?” Don’t mess with NCTA’s O&M group, who enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to learn the nuances of high-mileage freight car upkeep!
SAFETY FIRST
The day began with a warm welcome from LCRA management followed by a safety briefing. Safety is always first, as it should be, and the local staff quickly alerted their visitors to the potential hazards present in the shop environment. Rules were established and enforced that all were to wear steel toes and safety glasses; awareness of equipment and car locations were emphasized; tripping hazards were identified; and basic safety tips were offered, such as “watch out for air arcing.” LCRA carefully chose a variety of car types that had been removed from service with various truck types, steering devices, damping and draft systems, and build dates—an eclectic mix of the latest technologies from a variety of suppliers. Combined, these technologies have demonstrated how the successful merger of three separate and diverse railcar configurations can attain over one million miles of service! In fact, one older car approached 2 million miles, while still others demonstrated the potential to reach the 3 million-mile mark—given thorough and ongoing maintenance by LCRA, of course. This, then, was the business at hand: collecting technologically innovated systems with a combined 4.1 million service miles among three car groups for analysis and education under one roof. The cars selected were: • LCRX 52586 Built in 09/08 | SuperService RideMaster Trucks | 1.1 Million Miles • LCRX 54259 Built in 08/00 | SuperService Ride Control | 1.8 Million Miles • FPPX 52715 Built in 09/08 | S-2-E Truck | 1.2 Million Miles
Looking down the shop tracks, one could see a plethora of mechanical options, as summarized in the table below. TRACK TRUCK M976 DAMPING # DESIGN STEERING SYSTEM
SNUBBING TYPE
CCSB TYPE
DRAFT GEAR
1
SSRC
No
Constant
Padded
RetroXT in Compression
Crown SE
2
SSRM
Yes
Variable
Conventional
SSB in Shear
Mark 50
3
S2E
Yes
Variable
Split Wedge
SSB in Shear
Mark 50
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COAL TRANSPORTER | 9
These eclectic mixes included three different truck types— some M976 steering trucks, some not; a comparison of variable damping vs. constant damping incorporating three varieties of friction systems (conventional wedge, split wedges, and urethane-padded wedges); and two varieties of constant contact side bearings (shear side bearings and retroXT side bearings in compression). The array of truck systems componentry was a great example of incorporating many different supplier technologies, all having experienced the rigors of high-mileage service in the North American rail environment. It was like a railroad museum of high-mileage coal transportation—a very impressive mix of technologies with an even more impressive mileage accrual.
THE TEARDOWN
The teardown evaluation began with measurement of wedge heights as an over indicator of truck wear. Wedge heights were compared relative to their new origination state and related to their condemnation point using a wedge height averaging gauge. This provides a proxy indication as to how much wear each truck has undergone and predicts how much wear, in years or miles, may be left. This information can be used in a number of ways: • When a component is found to be broken, missing, worn, or not meeting gauge tolerance criteria, replacing it in-house can save money and avoid the railcar being taken out of service. • Indications of weakness can be revealed in parts of the suspension system, which may show up as body cracks, top chord failures, truck hunting, or premature wheel wear. • The owner can be alerted to budget for the possibility of required program work. • Product technologies can be selected that work within the confines of the proprietor’s leasing agreements, whether long or short, to identify the types of maintenance required, which can vary among products, as well as project costs.
10 | COAL TRANSPORTER
Constant contact side bearings’ operating heights were measured to ensure proper compliance with specified operating ranges. Once verified, the car was elevated and the side bearing in-situ preload value was determined using load cells. Load cell measurement and free height measurement determined adequate performance criteria for returning to field service. SSB Shear Side Bearings demonstrated almost 80% preload retention after 1.1 million miles and 12 years of service, certainly adequate to go back out for more. RB59 free heights were more than ¼” above minimum free heights, showing the same. These were all good indicators of preparedness. Once initial truck and side bearing information was recovered, the LCRA team swung into action to safely and efficiently de-truck and dismantle all of the component parts. Conventional “three-piece trucks” were quickly transformed into “50- to 60-piece trucks” once the individual parts were disassembled. Side frame and friction wedge removal among the various trucks was demonstrated for comparison and analysis. Parts evaluated within the “three-piece truck” included: • Bolster pockets • Bolster center bowl • Friction wedges—three types • Side-frame column guide wear plates/journals/gibs • Steering pads/roller bearing adapters • Load springs • Control springs • Brake beams/shoes/keys • Roof liners • Truck bottom rods, levers It was explained that gravity, the car body’s own weight, was the only force holding these trucks together. No special tools were required to dismantle most of these design varieties. The only exception was that the constant damped trucks required special compression to pin the wedges prior to removing the side frames.
INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS
All parts were inspected by their respective manufacturer experts for cracks, deformation, irregularities, wear limits, and allowable tolerances to determine their suitability to be returned to service. The functionality of each part was reviewed, and questions were fielded with respect to servicing for each type of part. Roller bearing hand rolls were performed demonstrating differences between smooth rolling bearing cups and rough turning ones. These differences were not visible, but rather tactile.
A hand roll comparison on a good 110-ton roller bearing is nothing like a bad one, and it really can’t be taught from a book. Once one feels the roughness of a bearing going bad, by hand, one knows and never forgets it. Draft systems were removed to review the complete knuckle, coupler, follower, yoke, and draft gear system. In-pocket and out-of-pocket clutch checks were demonstrated for draft gear and auxiliary equipment, including the follower block, yoke strap, and the draft pocket itself.
COAL TRANSPORTER | 11
Coupler systems demonstrated the new anti-creep checks recently added to the AAR Field Manual. Anti-creep checks verify that the coupler lock cannot creep up from vibration in service and inadvertently unlock the coupler knuckle to release trailing cars, thereby causing an undesired emergency (UDE) release during service. Wheels were hand gauged against the tread and flange measurements complemented by the use of a wheel profilometer, which draws a profile of the actual wheel surface, as compared to an AAR new or turned wheel profile. An easy graphic comparison can be made to define wear areas. All attendees carefully observed and asked questions about specific areas of interest. It was a learning experience for all. Whether an individual attending was interested in trucks, draft, wheels, couplers, coal cars, mechanical shop operations, maintenance, finance, or supply, the event provided an open environment within which to observe, learn, and share information on the efficient and safe transportation of coal. All who
NCTA Steve Dobies, A. Stucki Company
12 | COAL TRANSPORTER
attended appeared to have picked up solid information, knowledge, and techniques from this Texas teardown. Special thanks and appreciation go out to our hosts of the event—the LCRA management, team, and staff—who made it all happen. NCTA would also like to thank the suppliers who shared their knowledge and expertise with those in attendance: Amsted Rail, Appalachian Railcar Services, A. Stucki Company, McConway and Torley, Miner Enterprises, New York Airbrake, Timken, TrinityRail, and Wabtec. Steve Dobies is Vice President of Technical Services at A. Stucki Company, a Pittsburgh-based designer, manufacturer, and supplier of engineered products and services to the international rail transportation market. The company supplies wheelsets, brake beams, side bearings, draft gears, turbochargers, couplers and yokes, hydraulic stabilizers, bearings, springs, castings, and machined components, as well as precision CNC turning and milling services, grating services, and custom-molded urethane products.
THANKS OUR TEXAS TEARDOWN TEAM LEADERS! Kevin Koepke, Appalachian Railcar Services
Keith McCabe, Amsted Rail
In and Around NCTA
Washington, DC (Left to right): U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) Member Patrick Fuchs, NCTA President Emily Regis, and STB Chairman Ann Begeman are shown following the July 25, 2019, Rail Shippers Roundtable, hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
Washington, DC NCTA President Emily Regis (l) and NCTA Executive Director John Ward (second from right) testify before the Surface Transportation Board on May 23, 2019, at an oversight hearing regarding railroad demurrage and accessorial charges. Both summarized their written comments and answered questions by STB members.
Vail, CO (Left to right): Lou Hrkman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Clean Coal and Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy; Pam Eminger; Randy Eminger, Executive Director of the Energy Policy Network; and John Ward, Executive Director of the NCTA, at the 2019 Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute Annual Conference.
In Memoriam: Art Lewis Art Lewis, formerly of American Electric Power (AEP) and a devoted friend of NCTA, passed away on January 10, 2020, at the age of 69. Art was active in NCTA programs for many years and was named an Honorary Member of the organization for his service. During his time with AEP, Ed became a rail industry leader, providing vocal and technical support to power generating companies moving coal by rail throughout the U.S. Prior to his 30-year career with AEP, he worked for Penn Central and Conrail. COAL TRANSPORTER | 13
NCTA 2020 Spring Conference / Preview
NCTA 2020 Spring Conference Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona | April 6-9, 2020
N
CTA will hold its annual spring conference April 6-9, 2020, at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to a full slate of speakers and networking events, the conference will feature a Western Logistics and Planning Committee breakout session and the first annual “Scottsdale Scholarship Scramble”— a special golf event to benefit the NCTA Scholarship Program.
PROGRAM
Conference activities begin with the NCTA Board meeting on Monday morning. NCTA’s first-annual Scholarship Scramble Tournament will follow at noon at the Talking Stick Golf Club. Players will arrive at 11:30, receive a boxed lunch, and be ready for a shotgun start commencing at noon. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit NCTA’s Member's Dependent Scholarship Program. Monday concludes with a welcome reception. Tuesday features a plenary session in the morning, and the Western Logistics and Planning Committee breakout session in the afternoon. A grand gala reception at 5 pm concludes Tuesday’s activities. The meeting formally adjourns at midday Wednesday following a plenary session in the morning.
SPONSORSHIP
Sponsorship opportunities are available, and inquiries should be directed to Melinda Canter at (720) 227-1049.
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open for the Spring Conference. The fee is $895 for NCTA Members, $1,095 for Railroad and Non-Member Conference Sponsors or Advertisers, $1,595 for Non-Members, and $600 for Non-Utility Government or Academic Attendees.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Talking Stick Resort is an enterprise of the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community and offers a full range of luxuries, including entertainment lounges, a 640-seat showroom, a gaming floor, full-service pool, and two 18-hole golf courses. Six unique restaurants are located on the resort offering fine dining, Cajun seafood, southwest fare, a buffet, and several 24-hour cafes.
14 | COAL TRANSPORTER
ROOM RATES PER DAY
Your hotel reservations are made separately from the conference registration. The NCTA room rate is $199++ for a single/double. (Guests are responsible for room rate, resort fee, bellman and housekeeping gratuities, and all incidentals.) The price is honored three days pre- and post-conference (based on availability), so come early or stay late. Reservations can be made online for those who plan to stay between April 4 and 9. Reservations for those who wish to add days before and/or after those dates should be made by phoning Talking Stick Reservations at (866) 877-9897. Please refer to the NCTA booking ID #18878. If you would like to request a particular room type, please contact Melinda Canter for rate details.
MONDAY, APRIL 6 8:00 am – NCTA Board Meeting 11:30 am – A rrive at the golf club for the First Annual NCTA Scholarship Scramble Tournament. Players will receive a boxed lunch. 12:00 pm – First Annual NCTA Scholarship Scramble Tournament shotgun start at the Talking Stick Golf Club. Awards ceremony to follow. 5:30-7:00 pm – NCTA Welcome Reception
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 8:00 am-12:00 pm – Plenary Session 12:30-3:30 pm – Breakout Session 5:00-7:00 pm – Scottsdale Grand Gala
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 8:00 am-12:00 pm – Plenary Session
Photos: Talking Stick Resort
COAL TRANSPORTER | 15
Coal Ash / Beneficial Use
NAVIGATING
THE CHANGING FLY ASH BENEFICIAL USE MARKETS By Terese Hunwick, Vice President, Supply Chain – Fly Ash, Boral Resources
F
ly ash, the fine, powdery material that is captured from coal-fueled power plant flue gas by emissions control equipment, is well recognized as an integral component in producing durable, sustainable concrete. Whether the concrete is to be used for infrastructure, residential construction, or some other application, replacing a portion of portland cement with fly ash increases concrete’s workability, pumpability, and long-term strength while reducing its heat of hydration, chloride permeability, alkali-silica reactivity, and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with its manufacture. Fly ash demand is closely linked with cement and concrete consumption because its use in concrete is its most common and highest-value application. As the greater construction market continues to grow, demand for fly ash continues to increase along with it. Recent forecasts generally predict a continuation of the steady growth in that sector that has marked most of the past decade. Last October, the Portland Cement Association predicted that U.S. cement demand will rise by 1.7% in 2020— with continued moderate growth expected through at least 2022. So how well positioned are fly ash marketers to help coal utilities meet this continuing strong demand?
A Changing Supply Picture
The U.S. fly ash market is supplied from several sources, including current-generation coal units, surface impoundments and landfills, and imports. As it stands today, coal units are by far the largest supplier of fly ash into the U.S. market, but their overall production continues to drop as plants close or idle due to low natural gas prices, renewable energy, and environmental regulations. According to the Energy Information Administration, in 2019 coal consumed by the U.S. electric power sector decreased, year over year, by 14.3%, from 637.2 million tons (MT) to 546.1 MT. It forecasts a further 14.9% drop in 2020. This translates directly into lower fly ash production. According to the American Coal Ash Association, U.S. fly ash production in 2018 (the latest year for which data are available) totaled 36.2 MT—down 7.7% from 2017 and the sixth year of decreased domestic ash production out of the last eight. 16 | COAL TRANSPORTER
With fly ash production decreasing and demand for the product increasing, the industry and its customers are facing some regional and seasonal shortages. Most of these shortages are caused, in part, by the distance between where the fly ash is produced and the market(s) the supply can reach. In addition, not all current-production fly ash is suitable for use in concrete manufacturing. Ash that does not meet quality requirements for use in concrete is used in lower-value applications or disposed in landfills. In particular, coal plants’ use of low-NOx burners, pursuant to Clean Air Act requirements, has driven residual carbon levels in fly ash higher, rendering some unfit for use in concrete manufacturing without specific treatment. There are also regional differences in coal-fueled electricity production, and related fly ash production volumes, and the markets that production can reach. For example, the Midwest has a considerable coal fleet, while California and Ontario have no plants. Seasonal differences in production and consumption can also lead to local and regional surplus or shortage conditions. In order to overcome these supply challenges, rail or barge transportation of fly ash can be used to ship product from areas of surplus into those in shortage. This helps keep the market in balance—but only if fly ash consumers in end markets are willing to pay the premium associated with the capital and transportation costs of moving the ash long distances from the source to the market.
Investments in Storage, Transport, and Beneficiation Technologies
In response to the market’s increased demand for fly ash, in the face of lower fly ash production, Boral continues to invest heavily in infrastructure and technology in recent years to increase our capacity to store, transport, and beneficiate fly ash to meet growing U.S. market demand. Five years ago, Boral typically supplied fly ash directly to customers via truck shipments. Since then, as the supply has changed, Boral has developed several market-facing terminals to accommodate fly ash imports from one region to another to meet market demand. Boral has also
Part of Boral Resources' extensive railcar fleet
Boral’s Washington Township, Pa., facility
worked closely with utility clients to expand onsite storage and distribution network flexibility to help manage market fluctuations and imbalances. Coal-fueled plants operate to meet demand for electricity, while fly ash demand follows the seasonal construction markets. Differences between the two markets often create a mismatch of production and sales. As a result, storage and transportation assets help the industry to stockpile ash during periods of high supply/low demand for later sale rather than disposing ash in landfills. Boral has also increased its investments in its transportation assets, expanding rail and truck fleets to support changing supply and distribution patterns. Ash transport is increasingly intermodal, and Boral has and continues to develop facilities with excellent rail access to increase competition and reduce transportation costs. Boral has added marine capabilities to facilitate the transfer of product from one market to another on the Mississippi River system. Finally, Boral will continue to partner with utilities and customers to grow its import and export capacity in North America and beyond, including blue water marine capabilities. Boral is expanding sources of fly ash supply beyond current production sources. These include landfills, surface impoundments, and imports. Boral has invested in a broad array of technologies and processes to ensure the consistency and quality of ash to end users. Proprietary beneficiation technologies, such as RestoreAir and Ammonia Slip Mitigation, are being used to neutralize carbon’s impact on air entrainment and mitigate the effects of power plant emissions control technologies on these materials.
National Footprint, Economies of Scale
As fly ash supply markets continue to shift—and sourcing, logistics, and quality assurance all grow more challenging— coal utilities need to consider the advantages of partnering with an industry leader. Boral is the only fly ash marketer with a national footprint that ships ash directly from its power plant sources, rail terminals, and fly ash storage and distribution facilities. For power plant owners, Boral is a trusted service provider
and partner, handling coal combustion products to ensure safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. For fly ash consumers, we deliver products where they are needed—when they are needed—while providing technologies and technical support to address product variability. Terese Hunwick is Vice President, Supply Chain – Fly Ash, at Boral Resources. She has over 20 years of supply chain, strategy, finance, and accounting experience and is an expert in bulk materials supply chain logistics, finance, and planning. Prior to joining Boral in 2018, she held executive roles at Holcim and Lhoist. She also founded Thayer-Carver, a management consulting firm specializing in logistics and finance projects for a wide range of public and private clients.
BORAL RESOURCES BY THE NUMBERS • > 7 million tons of high-quality fly ash sold annually • > 20 million tons of coal combustion products managed annually • > 2 million tons of synthetic gypsum dewatered and marketed annually • > 600 pieces of heavy equipment for plant services operations • > 100 power plant locations • > 4,000 active customer locations • Established and growing railcar fleet for fly ash distribution • Established and growing truck fleet for fly ash distribution • 30 free-standing fly ash terminals • 40 states with Boral Resources operations
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Coal Ash / Disposal
FEDERAL REGULATIONS BOOST MARKET FOR COAL ASH TRANSPORTATION By Joe Laubenstein, Director of CCR Management, Waste Connections
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they deem appropriate. Two states, Oklahoma and Georgia, have already put in place coal ash permit programs that supersede the federal rules. The result? Utilities in Virginia and North Carolina have been ordered in recent months to excavate their non-compliant surface impoundments. Citizen lawsuits had already prompted utilities in South Carolina to begin closure by removal of all unlined surface impoundments.
How Much Ash Has Been Disposed?
Based on its annual CCP Production and Use Surveys, the American Coal Ash Association estimates that over 1.5 billion tons of coal ash have been disposed in the U.S. since the advent of coal-fueled generation. A recent estimate by data analytics company FirmoGraphs LLC concluded that 3.4 billion cubic yards of this material is stored in 752 units nationwide—over two-thirds of them surface impoundments. Because the majority of these impoundments (i.e., “ash ponds”) are unlined, most are faced with closure—either via “cap in place” or, if recent history is any guide, more likely via “closure by removal.” Closing an impoundment in place entails leaving the coal ash in the pond and dewatering, backfilling, and capping it. Alternatively, closure by removal (or “clean closure”) requires dewatering the impoundment, excavating the coal ash, transporting the materials for disposal to a lined landfill
Photo: Roy Luck
egulatory activity underway at the federal and state levels is hastening the closure and removal of coal ash from disposal units across the U.S. While the situation poses a challenge for coal utilities, which must comply with fast-approaching deadlines, it simultaneously affords an opportunity for players in the bulk transportation and logistics industries to assist in conveying these materials to their place of final disposition. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule, issued in 2015, established stringent new location restrictions, liner design criteria, structural integrity requirements, operating criteria, groundwater monitoring and corrective action, and closure and post-closure care requirements for new and existing coal ash landfills and surface impoundments. In December 2019, the agency proposed additional liner design requirements for surface impoundments that, if they take effect, would further expand the number of these disposal units already facing closure. The net effect of EPA’s regulatory actions is to force non-compliant impoundments, which are the vast majority, to either cap their contents in place or excavate and relocate their CCR materials to a landfill compliant with the new requirements. Since these regulations are being promulgated under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, compliance enforcement is not carried out by the EPA, but rather by citizen lawsuits or states acting as citizens. Further, EPA’s final CCR rule does not preclude states from adopting more stringent requirements than the federal rules if
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located either on-site or off-site, refilling the original disposal site with borrow material, and contouring it. In its CCR rule, EPA leaves responsibility for deciding which of the two methods is employed to the disposal site owner or operator, noting, “both methods of closure….can be equally protective, provided they are conducted properly.” Choosing the appropriate disposal option necessarily involves a thorough site analysis to determine the volume and type of coal ash, the containment structure within which it has been stored, and site-specific geological and hydrological concerns, including any potential impacts to surface water or groundwater that a given closure option may present. Potential health and environmental effects on the wider community must also be taken into consideration, such as truck traffic to and from a disposal site, the likelihood of fugitive dust emissions or spills, and transport-related energy and resource usage. Cost and time expenditures are also factors that must be weighed in determining the best closure option.
Partnering with an Experienced Landfill Builder and Operator When closure by removal is either the preferred or the mandated option, partnering with an experienced landfill constructor and operator can offer utilities or disposal site operators strategic advantages. Waste Connections will assess CCR operations and compliance needs and deliver an implementation plan to best manage costs and risks associated with the remediation activity. Through our extensive network of disposal facilities, we are able to offer a variety of on- and off-site options and deliver turnkey solutions that provide optimal value and the highest safety standards in the industry. Specifically, Waste Connections provides: • Landfill Construction Expertise—Waste Connections has decades of landfill management experience and the ability to build a Subtitle D landfill on the customer's site and install dry ash handling systems to meet the new effluent limit guidelines. This includes constructing dedicated cells to segregate materials, optimizing their storage for potential future harvesting for beneficial use. • Financial Stability—Closure-by-removal projects are significant and long-term undertakings that carry financial risks, from cost overruns to insolvency. Waste Connections is the third-largest solid waste services company in the United States, operating 93 MSW, non-MSW, and industrial landfills across 41 states that produce annual revenues of $5.2 billion. Our financial foundation and track record of contract fulfillment have led to consistent year-over-year income and revenue growth. • Rail Access—The ability to move ash by rail significantly increases safety and reduces other undesirable community impacts that can be created in closure-by-removal activities. Waste Connections provides intermodal rail services for the
transport of CCPs to the beneficial use site or other final disposition. We also handle the dewatering of on-site impoundments necessary for transportation and the completion of the paint filter test for landfill storage and/ or disposal. • Unparalleled Safety Record—Perceived and actual lapses in operational safety can undermine public confidence in closure-by-removal projects, add regulatory scrutiny, and boost costs. Waste Connections has consistently led the industry in safety performance, with some of the lowest total recordable incident rates (TRIRs), experience modification rates (EMRs), and accident frequency rates. Our commitment to safe, sustainable service yields performance and reputational dividends to our company and our customers. Closure of coal ash disposal sites by removal is a significant and complex undertaking with potentially vast financial and liability implications. Waste Connections has the knowledge and experience to assist coal utilities in navigating this new world of ash disposal. Joe Laubenstein has 38 years' service in the solid waste industry, where he has managed over 250 projects beneficially using a variety of different industrial waste streams. When the federal CCR rule was promulgated, he assumed the position of Director of CCR Management for Waste Connections, where his responsibilities include all aspects of developing environmentally sound and economically viable programs for the management of CCR materials from coal-fueled power plants. Laubenstein holds a degree in Soil Chemistry from Cornell University. COAL TRANSPORTER | 19
O&M Conference / Preview
2020 Operations and Maintenance Conference The Historic Strater Hotel, Durango, Colorado | June 8-10, 2020
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he NCTA Operations & Maintenance Committee will hold its annual conference June 8-10, 2020, at the Historic Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado. One of the West’s iconic hotels, the Strater is a “living history museum” that boasts stunning Victorian decor and furnishings throughout, as well as individually designed guestrooms. Durango is a small, picturesque city located at the foot of the San Juan Mountains just north of the New Mexico border. Its downtown Main Avenue is a Nationally Registered Historic District that is home to boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and an array of architecturally arresting buildings.
PROGRAM
Attendees who have opted to take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge (D&SNG) train private coach ride will depart by bus at 9:30 am on Sunday to historic Silverton, with return trip by train leaving for Durango at 1:45 pm. The traditional NCTA Utility Member Roundtable discussions will take place at 8 am Monday morning, with the All Member Roundtable commencing mid-morning Monday. A guided tour of the D&SNG yard,
machine shop, roundhouse, car shop, rolling stock, and museum is scheduled for Monday afternoon. Receptions will be held both Monday and Tuesday evening at 6 pm, while general sessions will be conducted Tuesday (all day) and Wednesday morning. The annual O&M Golf Tournament will tee up following the conference’s conclusion at 12:30 pm Wednesday at Dalton Ranch, six miles north of downtown Durango, with play commencing via tee times (no shotgun start).
SPONSORSHIP
Sponsorship opportunities are available, and inquiries should be directed to Melinda Canter at (720) 227-1049.
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open for the O&M Conference. The fee is $650 for members, $850 for Railroad or Non-Member Sponsors or Advertisers, and $1,200 for Non-Members. After May 4, an additional fee of $100 will be added for late registrants. Tickets for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge train ride are an additional $99 per person and must be purchased at the time of registration.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Strater Hotel will not be able to accommodate all conference attendees. Additional negotiated hotel options are available and include the nearby Rochester Hotel. If you wish to secure your room at the Strater, please contact Melinda Canter at (720) 227-1049; rooms will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
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ROOM RATES PER DAY
For accommodations at the Strater Hotel, the NCTA-negotiated room rate is $199++ for Classic Fulls, Queens, or Queen/Twins, $209++ for Classic Kings, and $241++ for Deluxe Queens. Rooms at the Rochester Hotel, located a block and a half from the Strater, are $199++ per night. Please call (970) 385-1920 and ask for the NCTA rate.
MONDAY, JUNE 8 8:00 am – 10:20 am – 12:15 pm – 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm –
Utility Roundtable All NCTA Member Roundtable Reserved for private functions Optional Durango & Silverton Yard Tour Welcome Cocktail Reception
TUESDAY, JUNE 9 8:00 am – General Session 6:00 pm – Reception 8:30 am – General Session 11:45 am – Conference Adjournment 12:30 pm – NCTA Golf Tournament at Dalton Ranch
Photo: Visit Durango
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
Photo: Scott D.W. Smith COAL TRANSPORTER | 21
STB RETAC / Fall 2019 Meeting
RIVERS, RAILS, AND RETAC By Emily Regis, President, NCTA
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n the early years of the United States of America, rivers and railroads were essential for the transfer of goods from one person to another. The ability to move commodities around the country was vital not just for trade between individuals, but for the growth and development of the nation on a global scale. This is still true today, but it is easy to take for granted the fact that rivers and railroads play such an important role in the nation’s economy, particularly in their function of moving energy commodities such as coal. A little-known player in this history is Paducah, Ky., where the Paducah & Louisville Railway hosted the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC) fall 2019 meeting in mid-November. RETAC is a group of stakeholder representatives with an interest in energy transportation by rail. The group includes large and small railroads, coal producers, electric utilities, and the biofuels, petroleum, and private railcar industries. Biannual meetings of this group are held to provide industry advice and guidance to the STB and to serve as a forum for discussion of current issues regarding the rail transportation of energy resources in the U.S. I’m a new member of RETAC, which as of November 2019 included four NCTA Board members, all of whom were in attendance at this meeting: Barb Porter of Arch Coal Sales, Brian Fuller of Southern Company, Scott Yaeger of Peabody Energy, and me, Emily Regis of Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Inc. and President of NCTA. Paducah is a small town located at the convergence of the Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers with connections to four Class I railways, including BNSF Railway, CSXT, CN, and Norfolk Southern, and interchanges to the Union Pacific Railroad, regional railroads the Paducah & Louisville Railway (PAL) and Indiana Railroad Company, and two short lines, Louisville & Indiana Railroad and Fredonia Valley Railroad. All are located at the junction of three states, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky, with close proximity to Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio, as well as several major highways with connections to points beyond. This is only the tip of the iceberg when you consider the town is also home to the Tennessee Valley Authority Shawnee Steam Plant, the Calvert City Terminal, 23 barge companies and their operating 22 | COAL TRANSPORTER
headquarters, and the National Quilt Museum for those enthusiasts of the fiber arts. Piecing together this article, I pondered how this part of the U.S. is not unlike a crazy quilt comprising states of various sizes and shapes with meandering river boundaries, railroad lines, interchanges, and waterways that serve as multi-faceted energy connections. PAL takes advantage of its geographic proximity to the nation’s highway and inland waterway systems in this area with its 265-mile, full-service regional railroad and close relationships it has established with several water carriers and rail-bargerail transfer facilities on the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. Several bulk terminals, warehouses, and trans-load facilities are located on the PAL. More than 90 industries are represented in PAL’s customer base, and it handles approximately 200,000 car loads annually, 99% of which it originates or terminates. The railroad is quite the industrial counterpane in this area, as it serves many chemical plants and other manufacturing entities, several coal mines, numerous clay and stone quarries, lumber and propane distributors, farm and mine equipment suppliers, warehouses, trans-loading operations, bulk terminals, river ports, and one military base. Paducah is a great place for watching coal trains arrive and unload, as we did at TVA’s Shawnee Plant, where our tour began on a day in mid-November when temperatures had dipped to
Above: Paducah & Louisville Railway map
Photo: TVA
Above: Shawnee Steam Plant 11° F that morning. This early foray into winter weather called for eight out of nine of TVA’s units to be online to generate the necessary megawatts just four short weeks after temperatures had been in the 80s and 90s. We were escorted by David Owens, VP of Coal and Gas Services for TVA, to the deck overlooking these units as they generated the required power. TVA has had to prepare for increasingly drastic load changes in its forecasting plans as extreme temperature swings have become more common and impacted its shoulder-month maintenance windows. Next was a visit to TVA’s railcar unloading facility, where we learned from Tim Armstrong, Coal and Transportation Origination Specialist, about TVA’s innovations in its railcar door system and air valve preventative maintenance program. TVA has seen major operational improvements since implementing the new program, with proven benefits to efficiency, cost, and safety. NCTA members can expect to hear more from TVA about its commitment to making further improvements in railcar door systems and air valves as it develops and refines this program. As we toured the area, I became more curious about Paducah’s early history. I live in the Sonoran desert of southern Arizona and am not often called upon to travel in the central
U.S. It was a welcome change to see dense forests of hardwood and evergreen trees growing right up to the edges of the roads and rivers. Paducah, I learned, was laid out in 1827 by explorer William Clark (of the Lewis & Clark)! It was soon to be an important port facility for tugboats and steamboats that traversed the rivers, as well as for developing railroads. Brick factories, locomotive and rail component foundries, and agricultural concerns began thriving in this area as it became an important railway hub with north-south connections to large industrial cities such as Chicago and St. Louis and access to both the Gulf of Mexico and eventually east-west railroad links. Civil War buffs should be advised that Paducah was occupied by the Union Army under General Ulysses S. Grant, who operated a massive supply depot from the town for federal forces along the Ohio, Mississippi, and Tennessee River systems. It is important to note that this area is thriving today just as it did in pre-automobile days due to the strategic connections for rail and waterway transportation organized and developed by our forefathers several generations ago. Paducah was a major import depot in the 1860s, and it continues in that capacity today particularly for coal, which I learned as the RETAC group toured the Calvert City Terminal (CCT), a bulk material handling facility located on the Tennessee River. CCT’s ability to load-out into trains with up to three types of coals as blended and store up to three million tons of coal within its storage yard has made it a preeminent inland river terminal, providing a vital link between western and Illinois basin coal-producing regions, eastern coal consumers, southern utilities, and coal export markets. The terminal has a yearly throughput capacity of 12 million tons, with the capability to unload coal and other bulk materials by barge and railcar (rotary or bottom dump), as well as load to both barge and railcar. At one point during the tour, we were witness to a demonstration of CCT’s rotary railcar coal dumping operations. Most of us on the tour had never seen rotary railcars dumped before and cheered and clapped like schoolchildren as we watched a COAL TRANSPORTER | 23
rotary coal car, wheels and all, along with the section of railroad track it was sitting on, flipped nearly 180 degrees as it dumped its load of coal. We asked for an encore presentation. Only in this industry will you find a group of people so easily entertained by railcar equipment! It was a long day, but full of information provided by people who have great enthusiasm for what they do. I wish to thank Tony Reck, PAL Chairman and CEO, and Susan Sacharnoski, Manager of Administration and the Executive Assistant of PAL, for hosting our group in Paducah. Sincerest thanks go also to
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Left to right: Scott Yaeger, Emily Regis, Brian Fuller, and Barb Porter David Owens, VP of Coal & Gas Services of TVA; Bill Rager, COO of Calvert City Terminal; and their teams for providing assistance and information to the tour group. A big thank you also goes out to all those involved in Paducah’s energy transportation industry. Whether in rail, waterways, or other modes of transport, all are to be commended for the excellent service and commitment to the industry that they are providing.
New Members
NCTA Welcomes its Newest Members!
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he Board of Directors of the National Coal Transportation Association is pleased to announce the approval of the following companies for membership in NCTA.
Boral Resources—Formed from the merger of Boral Material Technologies and Headwaters Resources in 2017, Boral Resources is America's largest marketer of coal combustion products (CCPs) for beneficial use. Boral has operations in 40 U.S. states, managing over 20 million tons of CCPs annually—including fly ash, bottom ash, FGD gypsum, lightweight aggregate, and a range of engineered materials—for use in manufactured goods, such as concrete and wallboard, as well as structural fill, soil, and agricultural applications.
McConway & Torley LLC—The original designer of the first standard automatic coupler, McConway & Torley LLC has been in continuous operation since 1869—the same year the first U.S. transcontinental railroad was completed. Both ISO 9001- and AAR-certified, the company maintains foundries in two locations—Pittsburgh and Kutztown, Pa.—and specializes in melting, molding, heat treatment, machining, testing, design, and engineering.
Rail Link Inc.—A Jacksonville-based subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Rail Link Inc. has provided shippers with
contract industrial switching and related rail transportation services for almost 30 years. Its railcar-handling services include railcar switching, inspection and prep, repair and cleaning, and loading/unloading; track and facility maintenance; complete turnkey logistics service solutions; and Class I interchange services (e.g., daily locomotive inspection and terminal brake testing).
Salt River Materials Group—In 2003, the marketing activities of the Phoenix Cement Company and Salt River Sand and Rock were combined under the Salt River Materials Group (SRMG) commercial trade name to better capitalize on the synergies of producing and distributing related materials for the concrete products industry. Headquartered at the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community's Chaparral Business Park, near Scottsdale, Arizona, SRMG now manufactures portland and masonry cements, fly ash and other pozzolans, both normal and lightweight aggregates, and natural gypsum products.
Slover & Loftus LLP—Slover & Loftus is a leading national law firm representing the interests of shippers and other rail customers, including electric utilities and other bulk commodity shippers; intermodal freight providers/shippers and third-party logistics companies; and grain, ethanol, fertilizer, petroleum products, and chemical shippers. The firm has represented shippers in virtually every major proceeding at the Surface Transportation Board and its predecessor, the Interstate Commerce Commission,
during the past 50 years, including rulemakings, mergers, unreasonable practice cases, and rate cases.
TransAlta—Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, TransAlta is a power generator and wholesale marketer of electricity with operations in Canada, Australia, and the United States. Founded in 1911, the company built the Horseshoe Falls Dam to power Alberta’s first large-scale hydroelectric plant and now operates hydro sites in Ontario and British Columbia, as well as coal, natural gas, and renewable energy assets totaling 7200+ MW generating capacity throughout the country.
Waste Connections—Waste Connections is an integrated solid waste services company that provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer, disposal, and recycling services in the U.S. and Canada. The company serves more than 7 million residential, commercial, industrial, and exploration and production customers in 42 states and six Canadian provinces and is actively developing rail-served solutions for managing disposal of coal combustion residuals.
COAL TRANSPORTER | 25
2019 Fall Conference / Review
NCTA 2019 Fall Conference Royal Sonesta Harbor Court, Baltimore, Maryland | September 9-11, 2019
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CTA’s 45th Annual Business Meeting and Conference featured a packed agenda focusing on activity at the Surface Transportation Board (STB), Congress, and the courts; the outlook for the coal industry; and transportation of adjacent commodities used in coal-fueled power plants. Speakers included U.S. Congressman and Congressional Coal Caucus Chairman David McKinley (R-WV), STB Vice Chairman Patrick Fuchs, and Norfolk Southern Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Alan Shaw. Amid an environment of hastening U.S. coal plant retirements, a number of speakers offered sobering analyses of the state of the industry that could variously be described as “glass half-full” or “glass half-empty” depending on each’s perspective. The future looks “grim,” said Natalie Biggs, Thermal Coal Research Lead – Americas at Wood Mackenzie, with the potential for higher natural gas prices offering the best hope to buck the downward trend in U.S. coal demand. According to Biggs, coal exports are a bright spot—with thermal exports forecast to grow to over 20 percent of U.S. thermal production by 2040—but will never reach sufficient scale to replace weakening domestic demand. Coal producers and U.S. consumers have both been given a reprieve following the EPA’s replacement of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) with the Affordable Clean Energy rule, said Adam Eckman,
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Associate General Counsel of the National Mining Association. The CPP, which he dubbed the “Costly Power Plan,” would have saddled consumers with an additional $214 billion tab for electricity between 2022 and 2030. Global coal demand, in fact, grew in 2018, Eckman noted, and coal remained the world’s leading fuel for electricity generation. Looking to the future, he said the growth of data centers and electric vehicle adoption underscore the continuing need for reliable baseload generation capacity. Betsy Monseu, CEO of the American Coal Council, said that coal’s ready abundance proved invaluable during the 2018 eastern bomb cyclone, when onsite fuel inventory at coal plants helped supply more than 55 percent of the additional electricity needed across six ISO regions during the severe winter event. Without coal plants’ ability to add 24-hour baseload capacity, the eastern U.S. would have suffered severe electricity shortages and likely widespread blackouts, she noted, citing the conclusions of a National Energy Technology Laboratory report. Despite coal’s proven reliability in such instances, she added, the industry faces renewed attacks from the likes of U.S. Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, who in June 2019 announced a $500 million Beyond Carbon campaign, the goals of which include closure of all coal-fueled power plants by 2030.
NCTA Elections
Three NCTA members were elected to the organization’s Board of Directors at the meeting. John Mayer, Associated Electric Cooperative, and Caryl Pfeiffer, LG&E and KU Services, were re-elected to terms on the Board. Daniel Sipe, Tennessee Valley Authority, was also elected to the Board, replacing Greg Nunley of TVA. Officers of the Association remain unchanged, with Emily Regis, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, as President; Gayle TenBrink, TrinityRail, as Vice President; John Mayer as Secretary; and Caryl Pfeiffer as Treasurer.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! NCTA thanks the following sponsors of the 2019 fall conference: GRAND RECEPTION: Lighthouse Resources Inc.
WELCOME RECEPTION: TrinityRail
COFFEE BREAKS: Appalachian Railcar Services and Slover & Loftus LLP
BANNER: Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company
COAL TRANSPORTER | 27
NCTA Scholarship Recipients
2019 Scholarship Recipients NCTA has awarded three college scholarships and one vocational/associate degree scholarship to children of the employees of NCTA member companies. Each Member’s Dependent Scholarship winner will receive $1,500 to further his or her university, college, or trade school education.
Lauren Martinez University of New Mexico | Political Science
Recipient of the 2019 David L. Laffere Memorial Scholarship Award
Lauren Martinez is a sophomore political science major at the University of New Mexico. She is in a program that allows her to obtain her bachelor’s degree and an MBA within a four-year timespan, after which she plans to study law. Maintaining a busy academic schedule is nothing new for Lauren. Before attending the University of New Mexico as a full-time student, she took dual enrollment classes at New Mexico State University to earn college credits that would help her meet the accelerated timeframe within which she is pursuing her undergraduate and graduate degrees. “Ever since I could remember, school has been a part of my identity, simply because I love it,” says the self-described “coal miner’s daughter from a small water tower town.” “As much as I want to achieve my educational goals, I know that gaining experiences are equally important,” Lauren says. “I strive to give back to my community—to those in need, to those who do not have a voice, to those that I love, and to those that just need a helping hand.” To that end, Lauren has completed over 200 hours of community service. She also maintains a very busy schedule of student activities, including Mock Trial, the Honors Student Association, Emerging Lobo Leaders, Advanced Lobo Leaders, Innovation Academy, mentoring students, and volunteering with student organizations. After attaining her MBA and law degree, Lauren intends to practice family law and business law “to be an advocate for Hispanic women and give back to communities by helping families and start-up businesses that wish to achieve their goals.” Lauren is the daughter of Lawrence Martinez (Peabody Energy).
Trenton Chramosta University of Nebraska-Kearney | Computer Science
Recipient of the 2019 Thomas C. Canter Honorary Scholarship Award 28 | COAL TRANSPORTER
Trenton Chramosta is a junior at the University of Nebraska-Kearney majoring in computer science with a minor in mathematics. In his letter of application, Trenton cited the security of the electrical grid as the most important issue facing the utility industry. “It will take a new generation of engineers and IT analysts to secure it from foreign and domestic terrorists,” he noted. As such, after completing his studies, he hopes to be a software security engineer to help find and fix system vulnerabilities and “solve real world problems.” Through hands-on experience in cybersecurity competitions, he has already developed a keen sense for the importance of keeping power industry systems secure. When he’s not studying, Trenton stays busy with a wide range of extracurricular activities—attending competitions as vice president of the university’s cybersecurity club, working as a teacher’s assistant in the computer science lab, and participating in a men’s Bible study program. Balancing a heavy courseload with outside activities is nothing new for this “proud Eagle Scout,” who in high school was a member of the Student Council, the Pius X Ambassadors program, the men’s choir, and the Lincoln Continentals Barbershop Chorus. Trenton is the son of Steve and Janice Chramosta (Nebraska Public Power District).
Perry Hayman University of Colorado-Boulder | Integrative Physiology Perry Hayman is a junior at the University of Colorado-Boulder majoring in integrative physiology with a minor in studio arts. “I fell in love with sciences early on in college and have chosen to pursue medical school in the future,” Perry says. Over the past four years, she has spent many hours shadowing and familiarizing herself with various medical specialists, from physical therapist to occupational therapist, physician’s assistant, and surgeon. “The drawback is, the more exposure I get to each individual profession, the more I feel obligated to explore my options instead of commit to one career path,” she says. As of this year, she plans to go to medical school to pursue gynecology or gastroenterology. Perry currently serves as the Executive Officer of CU-Boulder’s branch of the American Medical Women’s Association. This student organization encourages women to investigate the medical professions by inviting speakers from the healthcare field every other week to share their perspectives with students. Perry follows up with the group’s members after meetings with communications summarizing guests’ talking points and linking to internship opportunities. “I take pride in supporting women pursuing a profession in medicine and hope to be a role model for others one day,” she notes. When she’s not studying or organizing activities for CU colleagues interested in the medical profession, Perry enjoys rock climbing, hiking, camping, traveling, and teaching sailing. Perry is the daughter of Joshua Hayman (Xcel Energy).
Kayla Barnaby Gillette Community College | Business Kayla Barnaby is a freshman at Gillette Community College majoring in business. She is on course to obtain an associate’s degree in the spring of 2021, after which she plans to continue her education at the University of Wyoming. “After obtaining my degree, I would like to return to Gillette and find employment in business management with the goal of owning my own business one day,” Kayla says. Kayla has always had an interest in entrepreneurship and “found it fascinating that you could make money by selling a product that you created,” she says. Already, she has established several enterprises, including home-made jewelry and egg-selling businesses, aided by a high school curriculum that included coursework in Money 101, Entrepreneurship, Introduction to Business, and Accounting. When she’s not earning money from her own businesses, Kayla helps others with their business ventures—assisting in the concept and implementation of the business plan for her high school store (“Basin Depot”), as well as with several school and church youth fundraising events. Kayla is the daughter of Jerry and Kim Barnaby (Western Fuels Association).
Please encourage your college students enrolled as full-time college sophomores or juniors to apply for a scholarship award to be used for their subsequent junior or senior year or your vocational or associate program student with 25 credit hours in their program. For more information or to download the application, visit our website at movecoal.org/scholarships/scholarship-details. COAL TRANSPORTER | 29
CHARLES BA Reflections / Charles Barney
A Life of Public Service
W
hen invited by NCTA to write a “Reflections” article, my first reaction was “no thanks, too busy.” I retired from Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) two years ago but still have a full plate. To be happy, one needs reasonably good health and the time to do what one prefers. Upon reflection, GRDA’s membership in NCTA benefited both me and GRDA’s customers. The presentations we listened to and the people we met helped us. Writing this article is an opportunity to recognize NCTA and say thank you to our colleagues.
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation
I graduated from engineering school at the University of Arizona and stayed to complete a master’s program in energy system design. I was fascinated with the many technologies necessary to create a power plant and decided to make a career of it. Also, public service work appealed to me. I was hired by Arizona Public Service (APS) and worked on various engineering projects for the Four Corners and Cholla coal-fueled plants. It was a time of great flux in the electricity business. I was promoted to engineer at the Ocotillo plant in Tempe and later to superintendent of the Saguaro Power Plant near Tucson. I liked this plant management 30 | COAL TRANSPORTER
work better than pure engineering, as one can achieve big things with a team, especially if you are the lead dog. I was then asked to relocate as superintendent of the West Phoenix Power Plant. This plant had steam turbines, gas turbines, and three GE combinedcycle units set up to burn No. 6 oil. As an engineer, I was in paradise! Economics were compelling to convert the combined-cycle units to gas firing. In short order, these units went from “never run” to “run all the time.” Subsequently, my management again asked me to relocate to be Operations Superintendent for the Cholla coal-fueled plant in northern Arizona. It was explained to me that the energy future for APS was coal and nuclear, and the old oil/gas plants would soon be closed. (LOL—they are still operating today!) At Cholla we were later asked to do a test burn of PRB coal, as it was much lower cost than local coal. I was initially against it, as we were not set up for PRB coal and it had a reputation for plugging up boilers. Eventually, we agreed to do a train-load test burn on one of the four coal units. All went well for three days. Fortunately, I had instructed operators to always hide behind structure when starting or stopping a pulverizer. A pulverizer tripped and, upon restart, a violent explosion completely blew off the inlet duct work. The involved operator had hidden behind an I-beam column and
ARNEY The GRDA Board on a 1992 PRB tour
Opportunity Knocks
Hiking at Monument Point in 2018 reported, “You said this was Black Thunder coal, but you didn’t say it was gunpowder.” This hard lesson led me to always be vigilant on safe practice with PRB coal. APS soon reorganized itself to become a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, with financial objectives to pursue non-regulated opportunities in real estate development and banking. Unfortunately, some of these ventures didn’t go well. For example, MeraBank was purchased and thereafter announced major losses. The federal government then required Pinnacle West to inject millions into this insolvent bank, as Pinnacle West was now deemed responsible. Other major investments had to be written off as their markets collapsed. Also, interest rates were rising, and the cost to build the Palo Verde nuclear plant escalated. To help with this financial situation, expenses were cut at APS. At Cholla we laid off 30% of our employees, including all training instructors. To make matters worse, an adversarial EPA relationship resulted in me spending one-third of my time responding to investigations.
In 1988, an opportunity came up to manage the Coal Fired Complex for the Grand River Dam Authority in Oklahoma. What a change for the better! The GRDA is a state agency, but its Board of Directors is chosen to represent its various customer groups. Decision making was usually nimble and weighted toward keeping customer costs low. General Manager Ron Coker was an expert negotiator, and my boss Jack Marcy was equally astute. You would be unwise to get into a money poker game with Jack, and his only apparent “vice” was golf. GRDA’s relationship with NCTA began around 1984. At that time, NCTA was still called the Western Coal Transportation Association (WCTA). A GRDA board member attended a WCTA event and heard a presentation by Mike Loftus of the rail specialist law firm Slover & Loftus. At the time, GRDA had concerns with its coal transportation costs, which were 80% of the overall delivered cost. Our board member suggested contacting Slover & Loftus. Over time, their advice helped GRDA negotiate an improved long-term rail delivery contract. To gain leverage, GRDA purchased rail track right of way and prepared engineering drawings. With such leverage, a new rail delivery contract was negotiated that over time saved GRDA customers many millions of dollars. GRDA learned that when railroads compete for business, customers get the best value, but you must have competition or alternatives. Since that initial referral, from time to time, Slover & Loftus attorneys have helped GRDA navigate a number of difficult rail transportation issues. Jack Marcy attended most WCTA events. He worked with WCTA Executive Director Bob Kessler until 1994 and then with Tom Canter until Jack’s retirement in 1998. From 1989 to 2005, coal-fueled generation at GRDA was baseload and relatively routine. Occasional coal delivery issues arose due to flooding or extreme cold. Teamwork with coal mines and railroads was good. GRDA purchased coal from all of the PRB producers, but over time Peabody won GRDA’s business. Our Board of Directors made visits to the PRB mines and marveled at the amazing efficiencies of both the railroad and coal mines. Peabody’s mine superintendent, Dave Ott, is remembered as customer oriented, and Sales Manager Kim Roach was always reliable, honest, and accurate. Thank you, Kim! We encouraged our customer groups to take tours of GRDA’s Coal Fired Complex. COAL TRANSPORTER | 31
Reflections / Charles Barney continued
Peabody’s Kim Roach (third from left) on a 2012 PRB mine visit
GRDA CEO Dan Sullivan in 2012
A common question was, “Why are we hauling coal 1,100 miles from Wyoming? Why not use local coal and natural gas?” I always bragged on the amazing efficiency of the railroads in moving massive amounts of low-cost coal to benefit Oklahomans. During an NCTA event in Colorado Springs, I went on the NCTA-arranged bus tour of the Association of American Railroads’ Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado. On this trip I met photographer Lee Buchsbaum, who was taking photos of the event for NCTA. Lee had obvious artistic talents and terrific ideas for how to better communicate with GRDA customers on the value of PRB coal and railroad delivery. Subsequently, GRDA engaged him to design the visitor education room we used for customer tours. One of his panel board designs led off with, “Coal—America’s Energy.” Lee also took amazingly beautiful photos of all of our generating facilities. Today, the GRDA media department still uses the images he created. Thank you, Lee! Many NCTA members know Nick Keys, currently working for DTE Energy. Nick was originally a geologist working on coal mine design, after which he migrated to working for coal companies. Nick and I became friends at NCTA through a shared interest in wilderness hikes, especially the Grand Canyon. Nick is a Ph.D expert on the Grand Canyon’s geology, but he is even more skilled at predicting the behavior of coal company executives and coal pricing. Thank you, Nick, for your past advice and opinions. You are always right!
of one train set went dark. Telephone inquiries failed to find it. GRDA then searched all tracks starting in Oklahoma and found the train set in a Nebraska cornfield. A new rail delivery contract was eventually negotiated that was satisfactory to the parties. However, the ensuing rancor hurt what had been a great partnership. As many NCTA members will attest, a good partnership with railroads is needed but not always possible. Part of the new contract with the railroads was to convert from steel cars to aluminum. Because we did our own railcar repairs, our steel cars had been kept in service longer than those of other utilities. We knew which railcar parts were reliable and which vendors took care of their customers. Our past experience was incorporated into the bid specifications. Reliable suppliers like Stucki, ASF, New York Air Brake, and Timken were included in our specifications. FreightCar America won the bid and we inspected their manufacturing. Their manager used to be in charge of producing Camaros for General Motors and he ran a first-class operation. GRDA had very strong warranty terms, but they were not needed, as all 775 cars ran almost flawlessly. FreightCar’s Mike Kelly was the sales rep, and he did a great job getting these cars delivered for GRDA. Two other GRDA projects are noteworthy. We had been searching for a used switch engine all over the country but found nothing worth purchasing. Eventually, we were able to locate and buy a 1957 GP-9 locomotive with refreshed wiring and actual maintenance records. We converted it to our switch engine with a makeover and “hot start” system. Our rotary car dumper had over one million cars through it, and that’s a lot of accumulated metal fatigue! We visited other sites that had replaced their dumpers and adopted their “lessons learned.” Our contractor was able to do the project with only a 17-day dumper outage. With new, more stringent EPA regulations on coal units, GRDA found itself at a crossroad in 2013. Should we upgrade the two coal units to meet the new standards or consider other options? Economic evaluation showed our coal units were not the
Negotiating with the Railroads
With the cost of diesel fuel rising, GRDA at one point was asked to add a new fuel surcharge to our long-term rail delivery contract, which already included indices that accounted for fuel cost increase. With this new fuel surcharge, GRDA would be charged twice for fuel cost increases. Negotiations were initially not successful. Delivery of coal to the plant began to slow and restricted its operation. Then, a friend of GRDA warned that a train set would soon receive special handling. Shortly after, the location 32 | COAL TRANSPORTER
July 2, 2016 - the day after catastrophe struck Unit 2
October 25, 2017 - Unit 2 is fully restored
best choice unless there was to be a substantial reduction in the long-term rate for coal delivery. Proposals were made, but railroads had become reluctant to make long-term agreements. We presented options to our Board of Directors and customer groups. After review, there was 100% customer support to build a new gas-fueled, combined-cycle unit and to upgrade our second coal unit with new fabric filter baghouse and mercury capture. To accomplish these two projects, I turned over plant and fuel operations to others and focused on the upgrade and new construction. In late 2015 the coal unit upgrade was finished, and
construction on the new combined-cycle unit was underway. On July 1, 2016, catastrophe struck Unit 2. A main breaker failure led to tremendous damage to the turbine generator. It looked like the unit might be finished. However, with support from our Board of Directors, Siemens, General Electric, and FM Global, Unit 2 was fully restored in just 15 months. Many decisions had to be made, but our past experiences prepared us to make those decisions wisely. Furthermore, GRDA employees were never more motivated to work together! During these difficult times, our CEO, Dan Sullivan, was a rock of stability, courage, and good judgment.
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Reflections / Charles Barney continued Over the years, GRDA worked with several account representatives with Union Pacific in Omaha. All were professional and supportive; however, Kelli Sweet was exceptionally effective. Thank you, Kelli, for the terrific support given GRDA!
A Busy Retirement
Nick Keys hiking in the Grand Canyon in 2014 It was our pleasure not to let him or GRDA down. When I retired, GRDA named the new control room after me. (Usually, you have to be dead to get such a plaque!) Completion of the new Combined Cycle 3 allowed GRDA to merge its portfolio of wind, hydro, combined-cycle gas, and coal generation into the best value for our customers. Not everything went well with the new unit, but our major equipment supplier, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, always honored its commitments and made things right. They demonstrated they wanted to be GRDA’s partner for the long term. Driving by now, one can see the new unit runs most every day, while the restored coal unit does not run very often. A reduced coal transportation cost would likely help the coal unit be more competitive.
Retirement for me has been busy. I have done a few small projects for GRDA as a consultant engineer. (For the right project, I will work for someone else, too!) I have also had time to travel to Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Mexico. My wife and I also took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle (36 hours, recommended). I am always glad to get back home and then wonder why I ever left. Progress on my two Datsun Z-car restoration projects has been unsatisfactory. My mother is in assisted living, and her decline reminds me that we are all headed there. I have had the time to do genealogy research in collaboration with others using the internet. Be assured that DNA testing will find your relatives! I have also had more time to pursue fitness goals and am at the gym three to five times per week. My part-time business investments have been successful, thanks in part to my experiences at GRDA. And I have continued to do occasional wilderness hikes, including the Grand Canyon with Nick Keys. My latest goal is to live to reach 100 years. By the way, Robert Ladd now represents GRDA at NCTA events. Robert is a superstar, and you can count on him in any business arrangement. Best wishes to all at the NCTA, and thank you for the memories.
Throughout 150 years of continuous operation, McConway & Torley has been able to meet the needs of our customers with a steady, dependable and economical supply of high quality coupler products. As the original designers of the automatic coupler, McConway & Torley’s product line has grown to include every AAR approved coupler, which are all proudly cast in the United States.
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34 | COAL TRANSPORTER
NCTA CALENDAR
OF EVENTS 2020 April 6-9 Spring Conference Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona
July 7 Advertising and Editorial Deadline for Issue II, 2020 of the Coal Transporter magazine
June 8-10 Operations and Maintenance Conference The Strater Hotel, Durango, Colorado
July 31 Scholarship Application Deadline September NCTA Scholarship Awards Announced for Member's Children Scholarships
September 21-23 Forty-Sixth Annual Business Meeting and General Conference The Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colorado December 30 Receipt at NCTA office of all re-certification forms for the UMLER Fee Waiver for Calendar Year 2021
COAL TRANSPORTER | 35
NCTA Membership List A. Stucki Company Alliant Energy Corporate Services Ameren Missouri American Electric Power Amsted Rail Appalachian Railcar Services Inc. Arch Coal Sales Inc. Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Inc. Associated Electric Power Cooperative Associated Terminals LLC Aventics (Emerson) Basin Electric Power Cooperative Blackhawk Mining LLC Boral Resources City Utilities of Springfield Cleco Colorado Springs Utilities CONSOL Energy Inc. Consumers Energy Company Cooper Consolidated CPS Energy Dairyland Power Cooperative David J. Joseph Company
Detroit Edison Duke Energy Ecofab USA Entergy Services Inc. Evergy Exponent Inc. Florida Power & Light FreightCar America GATX Grand River Dam Authority Hall St. Coal Terminal Hendricks River Logistics High Country Railcar IHS Global Inc. iIRX Kiewit Mining Group Inc. Levin Richmond Terminal Lexair Inc. LG&E and KU Energy Liberty Utilities – Empire Lighthouse Resources Inc. Lower Colorado River Authority Luminant Energy McConway & Torley LLC MEAG Power
MidAmerican Energy Company Midland Railway Supply Miner Enterprises Inc. Minnesota Power MinTech Enterprises Muscatine Power and Water NALCO Water Navajo Transitional Energy Company Nebraska Public Power District New York Air Brake Northern Indiana Public Service NV Energy OG&E Electric Services Oglethorpe Power Corp. Omaha Public Power District Otter Tail Power Company Peabody Energy Platte River Power Authority PNC Equipment Finance Progress Rail Services Corp. Rail Link Inc. Railroad Financial Corporation Ramaco Coal RAS Data Services RPMGlobal
Salt River Materials Group Salt River Project Sandy Creek Energy Station Santee Cooper Power Shur-Co LLC Slover & Loftus LLP SMBC Rail Services LLC Southern Company Operations Standard Steel Tennessee Valley Authority Timken Company TransAlta Transportation Services Inc. TrinityRail Tri-State G&T Association TUCO/NexGen Coal Services Tucson Electric Power Company Wabtec Corporation Waste Connections WEC Energy Group Wells Fargo Rail Western Farmers Electric Western Fuels Association Inc. Xcel Energy Xcoal Energy & Resources
Index to Advertisers McConway & Torley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 NexGen Coal Services Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Salt River Materials Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Slover & Loftus LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Strato Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Wabtec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Xcoal Energy & Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC Photo: Bill Bumgarner
A. Stucki Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Appalachian Railcar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Emerson (Aventics) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 High Country Railcar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Lexair Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Lighthouse Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
36 | COAL TRANSPORTER
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