Here are some photos of the Barge-Rail-Transfer (BRT) Terminal located at Lake City, Kentucky. This is located along the P&L mainline about 20 miles east of Paducah. Low sulfur coal from Wyoming and Colorado off the UP and BNSF comprises the largest amount of coal destined here but occasional unit trains from CN (IC) and P&L unload here also. You'll notice on the side view that the P&L mainline passes a few feet away on another ballasted deck girder bridge. The BRT facility once hosted 2-3 trains daily of coal to be transloaded onto barges. The coal would then be taken down the Tennessee River to power plants throughout the South. Presently, most of the coal trains are now unloaded about a mile northwest at their original facility where it can be 'blended' with higher sulfur coal. It is then taken by 85ton trucks down to the river to be loaded into barges. The neat thing about both facilities is that they require hoppers...thus making for some really interesting unit coal trains (especially those UP ones with their hodgepodge of CNW, DRGW, BN, MoPac, CHTT, and other paint schemes). I'm working on plans to compress this facility slightly and to build a version for my layout. I thought you all might enjoy seeing a unique structure like this. I'll post pics as I get farther along on this project. Chad
Chad, Very interesting facility and an opportunity to explore new modeling uses for coal cars and barges. It would be nice to view your progress on this. Please do not hesitate to upload some shots of your model as it comes into completion. Reynard
