Western Railroad Discussion > Frac Sand production states question.

Which state produces the greatest amount of frac sand?

Wisconsin?
JC

20/40 Ottawa, very hard, white sand and will not crush in the formation. Only thing harder is man made propant.

Texas is no slouch!

Individual states leading current industrial sand production in 2012 were – in descending order as reported by USGS – Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan, and Oklahoma – which together represented 73 % of all US production. Nearly 60% of all frac sand produced in the US currently comes from the Midwest, thanks to what’s called the St. Peter Sandstone formation, and it’s here that industrial sand mining has been particularly active in recent years

More:  New rules

Interestingly they missed Nebraska as Preferred was shipping several hundred cars a week out of one
operation.

Out

Currently at least two sidings on the ex-D&RGW UP Glenwood Springs Sub in western Colorado plugged with frac sand empties*, Chacra and Silt. The string at Chacra has been there for at least 2 months, at Silt getting close to one. Virtually all old UP and related covered hoppers, some in pretty sorry shape appearancewise. At least they are a change from the coal empties usually stored here. I know there isn't much traffic here these days, but it still makes me wonder why UP plugs perfectly-good passing tracks (both sidings substanially rebuilt last summer) when there are two long rarely-used tracks in the Glenwood yard that are empty most of the time this time of year (in warmer weather used for coal train swing help, added in Grand Junction when it's cold).
*I'm assuming frac sand, could be grain empties although there are a few "shorties" mixed in that suggest otherwise.