Diesel Fuel Rationing?

[jyoutz]

The veneer mill in Vermont tried rail service to get their long distance wood hauled, and lost a lot of money. When the train got overloaded they would unhook cars and leave it on a siding... picking it back up "later." Wood spoils, just like any other plant product.
Their wood buyers were driving around checking sidings, trying to find out where there wood was.

The concept they were presenting is quick 2 day rail from the pacific coast port of entry to the eastern terminals, not local haul, just transcontinental. Reducing use on the east/west interstates. But I will relate a story on log hauling by rail. In 2003, we had a large wildfire in Arizona. The timber purchaser was in California. We shipped it all by rail with unit trains (all one product), 60 cars leaving the rail siding with nothing but logs. Those trains traveled directly from the log loading yard to the sawmill. Over about a 9 month period, we shipped 120 MMBF of pine and Douglas fir logs.

 

[5030]

No not really. Its quite mandatory.
When one promises to cut & bale a set number of farms and contracts to mow large properties, it requires a large amount of fuel.
Unlike you, I am not older, retired and able to get up and do whatever I feel like on any given day. Maybe when old & retired, I can downsize or consolidate, but right now,
I’m more interested in upsizing, expanding and doing the opposite of what you suggest.

If that is true, then items like your expensive fuel consumption increases as well as equipment and upkeep costs.

I've passed on 2 additional fields this year because I don't want to take on anymore ground. I'm at the upper limit of what I'm comfortable with and can handle myself with no outside help. Besides, I prefer to sell it all and not have to store any.

I have the indoor storage space but I don't really want to handle it a second time and I certainly don't want to deliver it either. A few in the barn is ok but not a large quantity. It does make the barn smell good, but that is it.

Be assured, you'll be old someday, we all get older at the same rate, I'm just a bit ahead of you, nothing more.

 

[5030]

The veneer mill in Vermont tried rail service to get their long distance wood hauled, and lost a lot of money. When the train got overloaded they would unhook cars and leave it on a siding... picking it back up "later." Wood spoils, just like any other plant product.
Their wood buyers were driving around checking sidings, trying to find out where there wood was.

Interesting. One of the guys in my hunting party owns the local propane company and also stores bulk propane, he owns a 'bottle farm a couple miles west of here with a large number of 10K gallon storage bottles (all fenced in and secure but with a rail siding and off load facilities as well and he 'product' railed in but switched back to bottle semi's because one, the railroad charged him detention after 48 hours no exceptions, two, he never knew when the rail would drop cars and they could never give him not even an approximate drop time, three, when the loaded cars left the propane facility, the rail would never tell him and could not even estimate travel times, and 3, it was no less expensive (factoring in all the variables) than having it delivered in semi trucks.

Now that may not hold true today with the excessive cost of diesel fuel but the rail is also paying substantially more for diesel as well and has increased their transportation rates, accordingly via a fuel surcharge (just like everyone else has).

Because his facility is secure and monitored 24-7, can you imagine getting a call from the rail at 3AM requesting access and then having to drive (in his case) 15 miles to unlock the rail siding gates.

For him over the road trucking is much more convenient and the cost is a wash.

 

[jyoutz]

Interesting. One of the guys in my hunting party owns the local propane company and also stores bulk propane, he owns a 'bottle farm a couple miles west of here with a large number of 10K gallon storage bottles (all fenced in and secure but with a rail siding and off load facilities as well and he 'product' railed in but switched back to bottle semi's because one, the railroad charged him detention after 48 hours no exceptions, two, he never knew when the rail would drop cars and they could never give him not even an approximate drop time, three, when the loaded cars left the propane facility, the rail would never tell him and could not even estimate travel times, and 3, it was no less expensive (factoring in all the variables) than having it delivered in semi trucks.

Now that may not hold true today with the excessive cost of diesel fuel but the rail is also paying substantially more for diesel as well and has increased their transportation rates, accordingly via a fuel surcharge (just like everyone else has).

Because his facility is secure and monitored 24-7, can you imagine getting a call from the rail at 3AM requesting access and then having to drive (in his case) 15 miles to unlock the rail siding gates.

For him over the road trucking is much more convenient and the cost is a wash.

Rail is a better solution and far cheaper than trucking for cross country transport, not local or regional transport. It requires only 25% of the amount of diesel fuel to move a ton of freight as trucks. But it’s logistically inefficient for moving small loads short distances.

 

[Hay Dude]

If that is true, then items like your expensive fuel consumption increases as well as equipment and upkeep costs.

I've passed on 2 additional fields this year because I don't want to take on anymore ground. I'm at the upper limit of what I'm comfortable with and can handle myself with no outside help. Besides, I prefer to sell it all and not have to store any.

I have the indoor storage space but I don't really want to handle it a second time and I certainly don't want to deliver it either. A few in the barn is ok but not a large quantity. It does make the barn smell good, but that is it.

Be assured, you'll be old someday, we all get older at the same rate, I'm just a bit ahead of you, nothing more.

You’re way ahead of me in age and way smaller in acreage.
We are nothing alike.

 

[5030]

You’re way ahead of me in age and way smaller in acreage.
We are nothing alike.

I have no issue with that what so ever. I could very easily increase my acreage (and have been asked to), but I won't because one, I don't have any desire to run larger tractors and equipment and two, I pretty much know exactly what I can handle alone and I'm all good with that plus everything I make is either pre sold or is loaded out of the field so no double handling (and additional fuel and maintenance involved either).

I did get somewhat of a kick out of you (or your help) digging the nasty square bale out of your large square bailer. I never do that. When I'm done cutting and baling, my bailer and all the associated equipment is cleaned of any residual hay, it's greased and oiled and checked over for parts that need attention and then put inside for the winter. There is nothing harder on equipment than leaving residual hay in them al winter. If I have any of it outside, it's tarped because there is nothing worse than dealing with soggy hay chaff from a rain event, removing it. In fact, if my equipment is left at my remote fields, it get's tarped up if sitting.

When I'm done bailing and back at the farm, everything gets blown out with compressed air, and serviced right then and there. Same way with the tractors.

Nothing I own sits out in the weather over the off season. Ever. Probably why I got top buck when I sold the 575 and traded in my 450. They looked as good as new and operated as good as new too.

Stuff never breaks in the barn as the old saying goes but nasty hay left on/in equipment over the winter sure contributes to breakdown's in the spring and ages equipment quicker too.

How I roll.

 

[5030]

From where I live Arizona is 250 miles away, Colorado is 200 mile, both more expensive fuel. Texas is 180 miles and about the same price. There are no cheaper alternatives. Costco is always the cheapest price.

For us, it's Kroger and fuel points. In the past, I've tagged the pump at 60 cents off per gallon. I'll take it anyway I can today.

 

[5030]

Rail is a better solution and far cheaper than trucking for cross country transport, not local or regional transport. It requires only 25% of the amount of diesel fuel to move a ton of freight as trucks. But it’s logistically inefficient for moving small loads short distances.

The issue with that is simply, not every retail outlet has a rail siding. The goods that travel by rail still need to be offloaded and placed on trucks for delivery. Even the trailer on rails have to be delivered by a semi, they don't somehow get delivered by magic.

 

[ultrarunner]

Gas lines and rationing are deffiiin our near future. Matter of fact, home heating oil companies are already limiting deliveries to people to 100 gallons unless its COD. .. The recession/depression will really take hold this winter when people's credit cards are maxed out and they have to pick between food, energy or paying their mortgage and car payment.

Wonder if it will again be OK to heat with wood as it was encouraged during the Carter years with tax credit for installing patriotic wood burners?

 

[ultrarunner]

What's a weight fee, and why does it apply to your van but not other, similar ones? Is yours registered as a commercial vehicle?

Yes… even a Chevy El Camino or Subaru Brat must be commercial in California.

Only exception are for antiques and a pickup with a permanent camper and similar.