Western Railroad Discussion > Map of North American Crude by Rail

Very cool interactive map:

http://priceofoil.org/rail-map/

Not picking sides here ... but the website hosting this interesting map belongs to an anti-oil train, anti-pipeline, anti-most things group ... I doubt they are tue railfans ...

Odyssey
Everreen, CO

Odyssey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not picking sides here ... but the website hosting
> this interesting map belongs to an anti-oil train,
> anti-pipeline, anti-most things group ... I doubt
> they are tue railfans ...
>
> Odyssey
> Everreen, CO

Be careful whom you doubt is a "true" railfan. Many people who are concerned about the environment, and the huge increase of crude oil traffic, appreciate the efficiency of rail transport, freight and passenger, and want more of it.

Some of the info on the map is not accurate, but considering the source I'm not surprised.


Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/14 08:37 by bradleymckay.

Is there a map detailing how it gets shipped by truck and barge?

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some of the info on the map is not at all
> accurate, but considering the source I'm not
> surprised.

I'd like to know what project that grey dot between Albany and NYC is supposed to represent.

Ray

This basically looks like the system maps of the major railroads. It seems to show lines over which some tank cars may run. It certainly does not depict unit oil trains. Look at those branch lines off the BNSF in North Dakota, as an example.

The grey dot between Albany and NYC is a proposed oil facility in Newburgh NY about 5 miles north of West Point. Not sure if its a go or not.

md Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The grey dot between Albany and NYC is a proposed
> oil facility in Newburgh NY about 5 miles north of
> West Point. Not sure if its a go or not.


Last I heard, the state's river shed use authority, and Ulster County were still reviewing plans. The Governor has expressed concerns, so the whole project may turn out to be on a regulatory slow track.

I'd be very concerned as anti-crude by rail groups begin to develop networks to keep track of trains, locations, volumes of oil (and LPG, ethanol, etc). Although it's being done for what they consider a good motive, the potential for simultaneous unpleasantness is always present.

FWIW, I'd much rather see a closed network, available for fire, OEM, etc departments with live access to railroad network maps. Much like the license plate, NCIC etc warrants checks available to police. If you log on, you log on from an approved department, with an audit trail.

This is part of what the railroads are resisting, and first responders are pushing. The railroads can either be part of the process, or shut out entirely by the anti-crude groups. It's their choice.

Do I smell 'Politics'?

If one looks closely at the BNSF routing, it depicts the Raton Pass line, even going so far as to show an icon for "Atlas Oil" north of Albuquerque, which would infer the Raton line is an oil tank route. Now watch the Raton Fan Club come unglued:-) I think this reinforces the comment about this being mainly a route map of North American railroads, at a minimum, with incremental graphics to show volume, etc.

sums007 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This basically looks like the system maps of the
> major railroads. It seems to show lines over
> which some tank cars may run. It certainly does
> not depict unit oil trains. Look at those branch
> lines off the BNSF in North Dakota, as an example.

You are right. I live in Virginia, and most of the lines shown have NO crude oil trains whatsoever. The map shows most in-service rail lines, but it does NOT specify which ones host crude oil train movements.

Very cool maybe if it were accurate. I live in Edmonton and a lot of the sites it claims are active and loading aren't or haven't even finished construction yet. Someone is letting their imagination run away with them on this one. Or alternatively, the source of the info is giving out false data.

A.J.