WSP09112 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

, . 3-WRH washn x x x indicated MAMMOTH CONSTRUCTICN PROJECTS .' The FEA study estimated that if coal transportation on U.S. rail- roads were virtually doubled between now and 1985, mammoth new construc- tion would have to get underway inunediately. Costs for new equipment and trackage ALONE would range from $13-$15 billion. Between 14~16 million tons of steel would be required for such work. ~ese costs do NOT include costs for labor, overhead or contingencies. ']he routes and the railroads operating in the Northern Plains and the West Which would from Billings to be most affected would be from Billings to Chicago andjoenver operated by Burlington-Northern, and from Albuquerque to B1rmington operated by the Atohison, Topeka and santa Fe, the Texas and pacific, and the Illin- ois central: Billings to san Francisco operated by the Burlington North- ern, Union pacific, Southern pacific and Western pacific. ~e Missouri pacific route would be affected by coal coming in from the Lower Appal~ achian area to Kansas city. OVerall, the study said, "the railroads most affected by the new 1985 flows (coal shipments) are the Burlington Northern, Louisville & Nashville and the...santa Fe. FUrther research into the potential impacts on these roads is underway," it said. The West coast and Alaska would need new locations of refinery capacity, new pipelines and shipping facilities to bring in oil and. from gas from the Alaskan North Slope and elsewhere II the Far North and from the OUter Continental Shelf. And, of course, deep water ports would have to be built off the West coast to accollUllOdate the big super- tankers. The inland waterway system would have to be expanded to help move Western coal to Midwestern and Eastern markets. New coal slurry pipelines might also be built to move Western coals to the West Coast, jDTexaS and elsewhere in the Southwest and South and to the Midwest. New pipelines might also have to be built to accommodate shale oil and oth- er types of synthetic fuels, it said, although it is questionable whe- ther much commercial production from these sources will occur by 1985. "In total, the transportation expansion for Project Independence could cost as much as $34 billion dollars and require 40 million tons of steel,. the FEA study indicated. Cost of moving oil and gas down from Alaska to the West Coast will approximate the $15 billion cost~ 0171