Western Railroad Discussion > 1981 Coal Export Unit Train - Central Route

The first unit train of coal for export through Northern California — 84 cars carrying 8,000 tons — to meet the current need in Japan enters the Sierra foothills west of Reno.  Southern Pacific delivered two such trains of Colorado coal to the Port of Stockton for transloading onto a Japanese steamship.  

From     SOUTHERN PACIFIC         
Public Relations
Southern Pacific Building
One Market Plaza
San Francisco, Ca. 94105
(415) 541-1659

---

Excellent location and subject matter. Surprised they only ran coal twice, seems like there was a number of attempts at interesting trains on this route but they only lasted once or twice. The Salt slurry trains, a few oil trains, steel trains and so on.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Excellent location and subject matter. Surprised
> they only ran coal twice

Only twice? Wow. I remember a photo of this same train, in a half page feature in SP’s ‘82 or ‘83 annual report touting SPTCO’s new coal export business via the Port of Stockton. (you had to look in the back pages of the report) Of course, this was the same annual report with the Chairman’s letter touting SPCO’s new ventures into magazine publishing & insurance companies, (those were covered in the front pages of the report) as well as the “anticipated approval” of the I.C.C. decision regarding the SPSF merger. 

Desmond Praetzel, “4451 Puff” 

More from Port of Stockton's publication.  Me on the left. 

These new rates, and the traffic they moved for a while, were really about Japanese trading companies developing a credible alternative source of supply in order to defeat the Australian labor unions. 



 

---

---

Coal exports weren't only via the Port of Stockton. SP and Rio Grande teamed up to move export coal to both the Port of LA and Port of Long Beach in both 1982 and 1983. The flow was not constant. There would be 3-4 coal loads run during a 10 day period then nothing for months. These loads ran via both the Coast Line and via Tehachapi depending on crew availability. The majority of these trains had Rio Grande locomotives, not SP.

UP/WP also ran test coal trains to the Port of Stockton in the early 1980's.

Allen

Posted from Android



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 15:39 by bradleymckay.

The Port of Stockton is trying to get their channel dredged for deeper ships, from what I heard.

Meanwhile, in the Port of Richmond, the old site of that had 2 container cranes could be a coal facility, if people wouldn't have kiniption fits about it all.  Maybe the Port of Oakland will get one, too...

Stockton is indeed looking for deeper drafts, but really not for bulk AFAIK. 

Steam coal currently moves to Levin Richmond Terminal for export loading.  About a half million TPY, at most, I recall. 

Phil Tagami is developing a bulk terminal at the old Oakland Army Terminal, west of the old Desert Yard.  Yes, he is in litigation with the City on a breach of contract matter.  Coal today has no friends in the Bay Area, and especially not in the very center of the Bay. 

Here's the other thread on shipments via LA/LB. 

 

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Coal exports weren't only via the Port of
> Stockton. SP and Rio Grande teamed up to move
> export coal to both the Port of LA and Port of
> Long Beach in both 1982 and 1983. The flow was not
> constant. There would be 3-4 coal loads run during
> a 10 day period then nothing for months. These
> loads ran via both the Coast Line and via
> Tehachapi depending on crew availability. The
> majority of these trains had Rio Grande
> locomotives, not SP.
>
> UP/WP also ran test coal trains to the Port of
> Stockton in the early 1980's.
>
> Allen
>
> Posted from Android

More recently there was the Los Angeles Export Terminal (LAXT). Who could forget that? I bet there are some people who would like to.