Another PRB train derails; joint line repairs to affect traffic
Washington (Platts)--5Jul2005
A BNSF Railway coal train headed from southeastern Montana to Superior, Wis., derailed in Miles City, Mont., July 1, spilling two carloads of coal. BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas told Platts Coal Trader on Tuesday that the fourth through the 14th of the 123 railcars derailed. Nine remained upright and two tipped over, spilling their loads. The derailment happened about 4:45 p.m. between Billings and Glendive, Mont., he said. The track was reopened at 12:15 p.m. on July 2 and BNSF expected to be caught up with shipments late yesterday or early this afternoon. He said there were no injuries, but some rail was replaced with pre-made sections and cleanup will take three to four weeks. Special units were called from Billings and Glendive to remove coal cars not involved, to get the wreckage out of the way and to repair the track. A railroad crossing mechanism was smashed. Melonas said the accident was not near two May derailments on a joint line owned by BNSF and Union Pacific and maintained by BNSF. The railroads are still recovering from those derailments and shipments are still slightly down from average. In its last service update, BNSF said it and UP have agreed on a revised joint line maintenance plan. The plan includes the removal of coal dust from about 100 miles of roadbed and the replacement of 14 miles of ties and track. Beginning today and continuing through the rest of the month, switches will be rehabilitated during 12-hour curfews. From July 11-Aug. 23, ties and track will be replaced between Nacco Junction and Reno Junction, working 16-hour stretches at a time from Monday-Thursday of each week. That will reduce the joint line from double to single-track operation during those windows, UP said. BNSF said it expects the additional maintenance to have a "modest impact on the number of coal trains that will be operating daily on the joint line during the balance of 2005." The modified plan work is expected to start this month. In an update issued last Friday, UP said it averaged 31 trains/day on the joint line, an average shortfall of four trains/day, or 12.3%, compared with pre-derailment levels from January through April. It said that as of June 30, slow speed orders were still in effect at 26 locations covering 30.4 miles of track. Based on maintenance plans, UP said it expects total outbound train operation on the joint line to average 60 trains/day total, with its share of loadings averaging 31-32 trains/day during July. "Union Pacific continues to operate under force majeure conditions on the joint line," the railroad said. "Operations are significantly impaired and UP is unable to meet all of its obligations for coal based upon extraordinary track repair and slow orders in place since May 14, 2005. "We are greatly concerned about the impact that joint line track conditions and extensive repair and maintenance are having on train operations and the corresponding impact on the ability of the mines to load trains and our customers' ability to satisfy their need for PRB coal. While we continue to do everything we can on the delivery side, we strongly encourage each of you to take steps to conserve coal until normal operations resume on the joint line. At this stage, we do not expect to be in a position to operate the joint line unencumbered until late November 2005 when track repair is completed for the year or suspended due to weather. "Utilities and industrial customers using PRB coal should plan their consumption of coal in accordance with estimates provided above and consideration given to their own unique inventory and fuel management strategies." For more coal information, take a trial to Platts Coal Trader at http://coaltrader.platts.com.
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