Eastern Railroad Discussion > Frac Tech Services, Eighty Four, PA.

Yesterday ( 1/31/12) was a nice day so I drove over to Eighty Four, PA. to check the progress of Frac Tech Services LLC facility located on route 519 between Houston, PA. and Thomas Eighty Four road. There has been a lot of progress since my last visit in early December of 2011. Looks like they will be suppling frac sand for the Marcellus drilling going on in the area. I just read an article in my local paper that says that drilling for wet gas (which is what we have in this area) will not taper off. I do have a question or two for the group. Hope the pictures will be of some interest to you.
John

1. This wide angle shot is looking east from near route 519 with the International Paper facility on the left.

2. This is a close up of the storage structures. The guy on the high lift was removing the supports for scaffolding. I noticed the cut outs in the structures. Is this where the hopper cars will be unloaded and trucks loaded also?

3. Looks like there is more track to be put down.

More pictures

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4. In this shot I tried to show the track to the right that curves around behind the two yellow vehicles. AVR uses the track ( I believe this track is coming from the Bruceton area) to service International Paper and Eighty Four Lumber and a few others up to Washington, PA.

5. This shot is from near route 519 . The track in the foreground crosses route 519. The switch that you can just make out looks like the turn out to the Frac facility. The rails were all covered with gravel, making it hard to see the tracks. Best I could do without trespassing.

Any comments and corrections are welcome.
John



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/12 07:31 by jmbreitigan.

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Frac sand mining and distribution is big business currently in Central Wisconsin. A number of distributors have built or are building loading sites off the CN's former WC mainline and on the Wisconsin and Northern Ry operations that runs on leased UP track north of Chippewa Falls.

Cool update John, will you be there for the first train?

alan

Fractrack !

Thanks

Mark

SooLine700 Wrote:
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> Frac sand mining and distribution is big business
> currently in Central Wisconsin. A number of
> distributors have built or are building loading
> sites off the CN's former WC mainline and on the
> Wisconsin and Northern Ry operations that runs on
> leased UP track north of Chippewa Falls.


UP has started running 90-100 car unit trains of frac sand between Norma, Wisconsin and 2 locations in south Texas for the Eagle Ford "play".

From what I've been reading not all Wisconsinites are happy about all the new sand mining. Some are complaining about the potential hazards of silica dust...


Allen



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/12 09:30 by bradleymckay.

Is this going to replace or supplement the facility at W&LE's Rook Yard?

Frac sand is a big incoming cargo in the Marcellus area of northern Pennsylvania, too. Also, tank cars of chemicals for the fracking liquids.

agrafton Wrote:
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> Cool update John, will you be there for the first
> train?
>
> alan


Thanks Alan. I have no idea when this place will be open for business. I would need a HU or be real lucky. It would be nice to check out the operation.
John

EH49 Wrote:
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> Is this going to replace or supplement the
> facility at W&LE's Rook Yard?


I read something on the unofficial W&LE bulletin board recently (http://members.boardhost.com/WLERailway/msg/1327991912.html) and it was said that this would not replace the facility at Rook. I guess time will tell.
John

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Frac sand is a big incoming cargo in the Marcellus
> area of northern Pennsylvania, too. Also, tank
> cars of chemicals for the fracking liquids.


I know that there is plenty of big truck traffic connected with Marcellus drilling in the area around where I live. I move over as far as I can and hope for the best when I see them coming my way, but most of them drive OK.
John