STATUS OF SLURRY PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION OF BITUMINOUS COAL

A comprehensive theory of pipeline transportation costs for bituminous coal is of special importance at this time. Empirical data on pipeline operations are too meager to serve as a basis for realistic conclusions. Yet, with the high portion of delivered costs of coal being transport related, finding new and improved methods of transporting the coal is urgent. Unit train operations are extensive and expanding, but Western coal traffic poses a special problem, as rail lines are not in the immediate vicinity of all of the major coal deposits. Whether to construct slurry lines into these new areas had becomes a matter of real concern. Large scale economies in bituminous coal slurry lines are explored in order to conceptualize an approach toward further investigation of how unit costs of service vary among lines of different capacities. Recent studies of economies of scale relative to railroads and petroleum pipelines are considered along with those of slurry lines. These studies though largely theoretical, offer a sense of direction so vitally important to reach future decisions associated with the entire coal transportation system.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contributed by the Intersociety Committee on Transportation for presentation at the Intersociety Conference on Transportation, Atlanta, Georgia, July 14-18, 1975.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Campbell, T C
• Publication Date: 1976-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Coal; Coal industry; Costs; Freight traffic; Intelligent transportation systems; Pipelines; Slurry pipelines; Unit trains
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced systems
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Pipelines; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00130792
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: 75-ICT-21
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 7 1976 12:00AM