Coal by Train Car

wmartin2 · Post by **wmartin2** » Thu. May. 01, 2008 7:06 am

Has anyone looked into buying coal by the train hopper car load like the power plants do? The coal trains run about 1/2 mile from my house.

Thornton

Badfish740 · Post by **Badfish740** » Thu. May. 01, 2008 9:31 am

It certainly makes sense to buy in that kind of bulk, but how would you take delivery? I'm not trying to be a smart@ss but the train is not going to wait while you shovel loads into your pickup. Besides, the coal being moved is most likely bituminous, not anthracite. It is tempting though. My brother goes to Lock Haven University in Clinton County and the Norfolk Southern trains run right past his dorm. The horn woke me up one morning when I was out visiting and I stood outside and watched enough coal to heat my home for six lifetimes roll by...

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Thu. May. 01, 2008 9:33 am

I haven't looked into it, but I'm sure it could be done. The only issue is unloading it in a timely fashion. Years ago I worked at a furniture place. We'd have a rail car bring furniture. I can remember the boss getting all nervous because if it weren't emptied within a time period ( 2 days? 3?) it was like $750 a day for extra time.

Post by **Richard S.** » Thu. May. 01, 2008 9:45 am

This was discussed in another thread but as a co-op. Wouldn't be very easy for a single person and unless you had 10,000 sq. ft home you're going to be burning the same load of coal for decade if not longer. Get a tractor trailer load instead. You'd only need 2 or 3 people to go in on it. You could even do it with one if you have the room. I've had some customers burn that much in a single year but those were larger homes that were not very well insulated at all.

coal berner · Post by **coal berner** » Tue. May. 06, 2008 4:17 pm

One R&R car holds 100 Tons of coal Hope you have alot of room and I don't think they would only drop one car off I think you would have to buy a few cars To make worth there time Plus you will need somewhere for them to dump it Buy a
Tractor bump Trailer 30 tons it will be cheaper in the long run

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Tue. May. 06, 2008 4:52 pm

Just the other day a coal dealer in Southern Maine phoned me to talk coal. I asked how he got his bulk coal and he said by truck. I asked if he had looked into rail and he said as a matter of fact he had, but it was cheaper by truck for him!