Eastern Railroad Discussion > article on w.va coal mine hiring shortage/coal demand increases

https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/west-virginia-coal-mines-hiring-shortage-demand-increases-worldwide

any increase in the demand for coal will benefit the railroads who would haul it........

66



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/22 18:37 by goneon66.

Coal mining is like many other idustries, people don't want to work long hours regardless how much you pay them, Raise your hand if you want to work 12h days x 6 days/week...   ...in a coal mine!  Not much meat in the article.

Thermal coal exports up 33% year-to-date over last year, met coal exports up 4.2% same period and petcoke up 7.6% as well. Translation: Much more coal heading for the border and the railroads will be happy to cash in. Near term outlook looks very good for this to continue, that is if everybody can mine and ship it...

JG

i think there will be a demand for good paying jobs in the energy and transportation sectors if inflation continues.

some people will need to support their families with these jobs that will allow them to put food on the table and pay rents/mortgages

hopefully, the demand for coal also increases in the powder river and benefits the railroads that would haul it..........

66

That's the problem.  Ya, it looks like a good paying job.  Until you figure all the time you are at work.  Many other attractive options today.  Many are holding on because they can "see the door" to retirement. 

Eng.Shadetree

Coal mining used to be a mostly union industry. My understanding is many deep mines, and strip mines are now non-union.

Wages, benefits, safety aren't always front of mind for the operators.

Posted from Android

I just want to point out that many mines have closed and/or many rail lines have disappeared for various reasons (at least in the east anyway).

Short term gains, maybe. Long term gains, I'm not convinced.

Keep in mind too that the large Carriers CAN'T move the trains they have NOW??!!

Posted from Android

Several of the major coal operators have mothballed large mines in order to concentrate on their most profitable.

Look at the recent closings in sw Pennsylvania. Customer orders are down, so focus on your best prospects.

Posted from Android

I'm not saying both coal mines and railroads don't have issues with hiring and retaining employees.  i just think in the near future SOME people might deal with those issues just to support their families if they are paid enough.

less expensive energy in these times of inflation could be good for the demand for coal and the railroads.  now, whether the railroads will be able to keep up with any demand for more coal and efficiently move it is another story...........

66



 

Yes. I'm amazed at the number of young people I meet here in Florida who are from Ohio Michigan Pennsylvania West Virginia etc.

Voting with their feet...

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes. I'm amazed at the number of young people I
> meet here in Florida who are from Ohio Michigan
> Pennsylvania West Virginia etc.
>
> Voting with their feet...
>
> Posted from Android

Yup. When I first moved to Colorado in 1979, you could easily see the huge bunch of people from the upper Midwest rust belt that had chucked everything in the car and moved.  We called them the "Detroit Diaspora". 

Flashing forward a few years, and moving to Boston, I married one of them.   Still going, 30 years on. 

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes. I'm amazed at the number of young people I
> > meet here in Florida who are from Ohio Michigan
> > Pennsylvania West Virginia etc.
> >
> > Voting with their feet...
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Yup. When I first moved to Colorado in 1979, you
> could easily see the huge bunch of people from
> the upper Midwest rust belt that had chucked
> everything in the car and moved.  We called them
> the "Detroit Diaspora". 
>
> Flashing forward a few years, and moving to
> Boston, I married one of them.   Still going, 30
> years on. 


40 years ago it seemed many from the Upper Midwest states were doing the migration to other regions. The last 30 years that seems to have changed to just moving from the small towns to the large cities.

Posted from iPhone