Rail Road freight for effciency?

[vampares]

I want to move manure a considerable distance, 200-1000 miles.

 

A tracker trailer dump truck could hold 42k pounds maybe 17k more with an extra axle in the back. (I can provide lift assist if needed)

 

I want to haul 40 million pounds to ten different locations.

 

The common coal car has volume and mass capacity. It is not awfully soiled by manure or other 'feces'.

 

 

According to the wikipedia this is how the coal is deposited.

 

 

 

 

I've read stories about trap door bottoms. I am physically moving manure for profit however. The average age of a coal car is ~24 years.

 

What's the outlook on leasing space at the local coal power plant? Anyone have an extra @?

 

One of those rusty I-beams in that photo would cost me over $10k.

mechanical x or o?

Edited April 28, 2014 by vampares

[CaptainPanic]

I'm no expert in manure transport, but I think you should specify whether your manure is a solid or a liquid. It matters a great deal for the transport if it can be pumped or not.

 

Liquid manure is transported in tankers. Solid manure is shipped in cars that may resemble coal cars, but which are probably closed to prevent odors from escaping.

 

I think that in Europe, manure is mostly transported by cargo ship. It's the cheapest form of transport, if a suitable waterway is available.

[vampares]

There is some liquefied manure available. Liquid is easier to handle if it is being used locally. Transporting this would be costly. Most of it is in solid form. Covering it is good if it doesn't cost extra.

 

 

I am going to fill the ballast tank of an oil rig. It still has to be transported on land several hundred miles however.

 

There is access to freight rail, Union Pacific and CSX. Shipping grain or agricultural product for instance, there are special hoppers that empty out the bottom nice and cleanly. Manure doesn't have special hoppers.

[Greg H.]

Back before rotary dumpers, rail cars of coal were unloaded between the ties into pits under the track where front end loaders could scoop the product into dump trucks for transit to the final customer. You might look for something like that near your destination.

 

Alternatively, you can empty the car right onto the ground, and then use a portable coveyer and good old man power to shift the pile to the truck or off to one side for storage. Note that this might be complicated by local laws regarded the handling and storage of animal waste and runoff.

 

If you truly need to move 40 million pounds, you're going to need a heck of a lot of rail car loads. Your typical hopper will carry 70-80 tons (capacity minus the tare weight, which is usually in the 20-30 ton range) and maxes out at roughly 3-5000 cubic feet, depending on the model. I don't know how many cubic feet 40,000,000 pounds of manure is, but I'm guessing it's quite a few.

[CaptainPanic]

Why don't you call up some transport companies? I googled around, and there exist companies that have experience moving manure around. And the good thing is that they will also understand all the permits (if any) you need to transport that stuff.