Eastern Railroad Discussion > PBF to expand Delaware City rail facility

First unit train of Bakken crude to arrive "soon". Seventeen more (!!!) trains in the next two weeks. That would imply an expedited unloading protocol.

Expanded rail unloading facility is already being planned. More rail cars are going under contract. Two thousand cars would be up to 20 unit trains of 100 cars each, but they'll undoubtedly have extra capacity.

>>PBF has also entered into agreements to increase the number of railcars it owns or leases to transport crude oil. The company will add 2,000 coiled, insulated cars to move heavy crude beginning in 2014 and continuing through the first quarter of 2015. Delivery of a previously contracted 1,600 coiled cars begins in the second quarter of this year.

In addition, the company will increase its fleet of general purpose cars by 500 (to be delivered in 2013) to bring the total to 800.<<

http://www.tankterminals.com/news_detail.php?id=2201

This story was extensively covered by the Wilmington News Journal last Sunday Feb 10, cover story with ample photos, some by our own Michael Murray who also contributes to Trains. I think the article was mostly accurate, except the trains that have come so far since last May are all off the BNSF with BNSF/NS buffer cars from the Bakken shale fields of North Western North Dakota and not from CP at Portal, ND (like their map shows) from Canada's tar sands. BNSF does not get to Portal, but close. There were a few trains each month since last May and then 8-9 per month since September. I have seen about 20 of them and noted many details. Some use former ethanol cars, others have brand new 286k cars with head shields. Most have been 80-100 cars, various marks.

I went to the facility last Sunday and took a few photos. The new double track loop comes off the Reybold IT just east of the old US 13 crossing. There is a derail and then a wye and must be crossovers somewhere to get to the inside track. The train on the inner loop was the first one to operate with DPU's (all NS) from the west. 8093, 8108 BNSF airslide buffer, 99 CTCX and GBRX tanks, BNSF 808109, and 8125, 8113. It arrived sometime Feb 7th, and was called herein as a 'test train'. Probably for DPU's, and also for the unloading facilities at PBF. I noted at least 15 standpipes at the center of the loops and guys with hardhats were all around, maybe a training session, on a Sunday! I didn't linger and camera battery died. That was the first train for Feburary as far as I know and since there have been 3 more, none with DPU, and at or less than 100 cars, one had STAX cars, a first, not seen.

The News Journal article does mention intention of NS to build a 'diamond crossing' at Porter by mid-summer. Saves 20 miles and would enable one crew to get a crude train from Hbg to Reybold. I've knoe this RR area for over 50 years and do not know when the diamonds at Porter were removed. My two reference books on Delmarva lines do not mention it.

I can vouch that the diamond in Porter had already been removed when I moved to DE in 1980. I think it's fascinating that it's going back in.

It seems pretty clear there's massive expansion under way.

1) It will be interesting to see how and when NS gets these trains across the NEC, especially as it's only double track, though with crossovers at both ends, for the stretch where they make the transition from west side to east side or vv. The "Chrysler yard" will be handy for staging these trains between the refinery and that section. It will also be interesting to see Amtrak's reaction to DPU freights under catenary here.

2) I feel sorry for any major shipper that is captive to one railroad; it looks like CSX would have to resort to a rail + barge solution.

Best, SZ

To SZ,

Your points are well taken. Actually the NEC is only double track between Perryville and Newark, Davis tower, for only 6.3 miles from Prince to Bacon ,and that is essentially level. At Bacon NB / EB heavy loaded trains do face a grade after they are on the third track to the south and at Iron a fourth track on the south starts that enables two EB freights to get off the two high speed tracks. Chrysler yard could be used to stage shorter trains but maximum avaliable length with track re-arrangement for crude trains is only about 5500 feet, 1000 ft shy of a typical as planned 100 car train. (Saw one today).

Amtrak may wince at the extra freight trains in this area. But when I had to retire from CR in 1999 Amtk was getting about $2.00 per loaded or empty car mile, including engines and buffers, etc. Just going from Perry to Davis would give them $4326 for a one way train. Going to Ragan get another 8.5 paid miles. That was then. Who knows what they get now. I'd say the trackage right fees for the loaded and empty side of each 100 car crude train to Amtrak is $10,000 or more now. Not small change for an outfit that is always criticized by the conservatives for costing the Government money. At the projected two loaded trains per day and the empty return that is $20,000 x 365 = over $7 million a year.

Last point. Yep, DelCity is captive to NS. Yorktown, VA planned on CSX captive to CSX. Philly Sunoco (probably) captive to CSX. I follow the marine industry too, but do not know a lot about their costs. But I'd says it is half of rail in modern big ATB units. So they all can compete. And thru my 31 years of RR marketing and operating career volume projections RARELY meet expectations.

tp117 Wrote:
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> (snip) And
> thru my 31 years of RR marketing and operating
> career volume projections RARELY meet
> expectations.


ain't that the truth!

In fairness, though, offering a higher volume number allows planning for a worse or worst case scenario as far as loads, turns, etc