Paper company turns to rail, lightens I-64 truck traffic

Discussion in 'Truckers News' started by Cybergal, Dec 10, 2007.

  1. Cybergal

    Cybergal Road Train Member

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    Paper company turns to rail, lightens I-64 truck traffic
    12/10/07
    http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stor...mpanyturnstoraillightensI-64trucktraffic.aspx
     
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  3. Big Duker

    Big Duker "Don Cheto"

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    Sorry Dwight, but don't think 54 trucks a day are going to make a big difference on your traffic woes.:biggrin_25523:
     
  4. Tip

    Tip Tipster

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    I remember I-64 from Covington to Richmond didn't have that many trucks on it to begin with.

    This move isn't about taking a few trucks off the road because of minor traffic problems. Shippers are slowly making the switch from trucks to rails, and they don't want YOU, the common laborer, to notice. They need a convenient excuse to do that, and this is one. If you saw what's coming, you may get pissed off and start throwing politicos out of office. In a few years ALL the paper that company produces will be shipped via rail.

    Traffic problems on I-64. Give me a break. It's an excuse, but a lame one.
     
  5. Scarecrow03

    Scarecrow03 Road Train Member

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    Tip, you and I haven't butted heads on your "demise of the trucking industry" theories in quite some time.

    I'm just curious. How is the railroad going to take over for the trucking world when there have been so many rails taken out of service and even removed from the face of the earth.

    In southeastern Illinois for example, there was a large project taken on some 15-16 years ago to remove a railway that once followed US 45 from Norris City, IL (probably much further north than that, but that's the town I graduated high school in and recall the men removing the rails and ties from the ground) all the way to the Ohio River in Paducah, KY. In many places along the former railway, there is now biking/hiking trails.

    There are many places throughout the country just like this. How will freaght be moved via rail in areas such as this? The cost to rebuild the former railway would be quite significant to say the least. So significant in fact that there would be no warrant to rebuild.

    A penny for your thoughts, sir...
     
  6. Tip

    Tip Tipster

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    Sounds like there is about to be a construction boom in the railroad industry. When they tore up those tracks, did the railroads sell the land those tracks were sitting on? I don't know if they did. Doesn't matter anyway, for if the elites want new tracks, those tracks will be built.

    Many people want fewer trucks on the roads. Lots of trucks taken off the roads will mean less tax revenue to pay for upkeep, but those roads won't need as much upkeep either. Fewer trucks mean less traffic, which is expected to get worse and worse in the future, assuming things 'stay the same'. They won't. I guarantee they won't. Trucks are an easy target, and truck drivers are easy victims. Do I need to say more?

    Has the I-81 construction started in Virginia yet? They've been talking about that for years and years. Supposedly there will be a third lane added, and the stretch will become a toll road. If they've not begun the work, maybe they believe the extra lane won't be needed after all, as many a truck will be removed (permanently) from the highways by the market. The status of this road, along with many other things, can help you make predictions about the future.

    A lot of you guys are stuck on the belief that things are set in concrete. Nothing stays the same, except for the fact that "nothing stays the same". You must be ready for sudden change at all times, and accept it with open arms, lest you get stuck with the leftover crumbs.
     
  7. myminpins

    myminpins Road Train Member

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    Most all the railway around here is gone. The land has been designated a provincial walkway and landscaped as such.

    I can see some people switching to rail for certain things but to get stuff to the inner city, it'll still have to be trucks. The big thing is, a truck will take a partial load and boot it to where you want it to be quickly IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT. A railway says, "We have a train leaving at this time going here. If you want to use it, fine. If not, tough. We're not running extra trains for you."

    One of our major carriers already uses rail cars a ton but they also still have a large amount of trucks on the road. There is still a driver shortage around here yet you see hundreds of their cars on the railroads heading out of province (there is still one main line left).

    Railroads have their purpose but they'll never take over for trucks - their places of delivery are too limited, their schedules are too set in stone, etc., etc., etc.
     
  8. elharrison

    elharrison "Iam on my way"

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    no 81 is still 2 lane

    up here in WV we went to 3 lanes for only 5miles out of the 26 mile strech of 81 , just though martinsburg(my home town)
    and no toll , honestly VA doesnt need a third lane, driving though there at 1-2 in the morning theres no one out there , even on busy days it doesnt get that busy, 81N though PA is busier than south

    yeah i agree 64 to newport news isnt that busy either, i go though there almost once a week
     
  9. Tip

    Tip Tipster

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    You're right, Mr. Harrison. The stretch from Richmond on down to the Norfolk area wasn't that crowded either, come to think of it. I-64 used to be one of my favorite stretches to run in Virginia because it was about like I-15 in Northern Idaho. There was never many heavies on it. Some days, there were no cars, either.

    I'm still shaking my head over the idea that 64 has too much truck traffic. Yeah, somebody is playing games.
     
  10. RoamingGnome

    RoamingGnome Medium Load Member

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    I-64 (newport news) to I-81 is a nightmare.
     
  11. Scarecrow03

    Scarecrow03 Road Train Member

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    Tip, my nemesis pal, there are so many holes in your theory I don't know where to begin tearing it apart. If you had any real world understanding of business economics you wouldn't have typed a single word of this rediculous nonsense. The bottom line to this whole thing that is, to be intellectually honest, beyond refute. Businesses of any kind only make moves that will improve their business. A business improves by the highest amount of profit imaginable and examining the risks involved to attain those profit margins. The risks involved in rebuilding all the abandonded railroad property (if it even still belongs to them) and the length of time it would take to make even a small profit are just too high. I'm just a simple truck driver, but I do have some basic understanding of simple business economics.

    I know I'm not going to change your mind. You're way to set on destroying hope in what WILL be a solid career (trucking) for the next several decades. I'm sure it's going to change. I see there being even less and less independent contractors and small companies, but there will still be a great need for professional truck drivers well after you and I have retired from whatever career we retire from.
     
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