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<br />highlighted the problem that the 100th Congress can solve. Note <br />these illustrations: <br />1. The Journal of Commerce, March 2, 1987, reports on the"World <br />Coal Conference" in New Orleans at which foreign coal buyers <br />stressed that they are going through Gulf of Mexico ports instead <br />of East Coast ports because rail rates to the East Coast are more <br />expensive than water carrier rates, even combined with some rail <br />or truck charges. Spokesmen from Denmark and France made the <br />statements. <br />In the meantime, the CSX Transportation system, which can <br />serve East Coast ports by rail or Ohio River and tributary ports <br />feeding coal to the Gu lf by barges, has announced a two-phase <br />rate increase on rail service to the river ports -- 20 cents/ton <br />effective April 1 and 25 cents/ton more on July 1. What might <br />this do to expor ts and the balance of trade? <br />2. Coal buyers for a major New England electric utility, have <br />gained nationwide attention by buying coal from the western pert <br />of Canada and getting it delivered more cheaply than the coal <br />they traditionally get from the Appalachian coal fields. <br />And, in a state that is itself an important coal producer <br />-- Virginia -- Virginia Power company last year began an experiment <br />in delivering coal by barge to four generating stations near <br />rivers and proved that they could reduce the delivered cost of <br />coal materially. It was just a test, and a spokesman for the power <br />company, Tyndall L. Baucom, vice president for procurement, noted <br />that it was halted after railroads lowered their rates. <br />