10-11-2014, 09:22 AM
@Russ: A big thanks, you put me back on rail with your suggestion! 
Gene, cement-making is one industrial process where using hydro-electricity does not good. I remember St. Lawrence Cement wanted to use coal again in the mid-90s but there was a lot of protest. Tires were also considered. Nothing happened because the plant shut down.
Seriously, I don't know what they used during the 80s and 90s. I never saw any coal hoppers in the yard. I suspect the fuel was trucked in, but that means they had a local source for fuel. It could have been petroleum coke from the nearby refinery in Levis (which opened in 1971). The date would somewhat match. The new announced cement plant project in Gaspésie will be fuel by coke too.
OK, just did some researches, inputting the cement plant name + petroleum coke. Villeneuve plant was effectively fuel by petroleum coke. The shift from US coal to local coke, as stated, probably occurred by the mid-70s went a cheaper local source was available. Was it trucked, I don't know. I only remember covered hoppers (cylindrical and procor).
That said, I'll continue to fuel the layout plant with COAL just for the sake of Pennsylvania's hoppers coolnest factor!
Matt
Genetk44 Wrote:I would have thought that with its plentiful and cheap hydro-electric capacity that they would be using electricity in Quebec.
Gene, cement-making is one industrial process where using hydro-electricity does not good. I remember St. Lawrence Cement wanted to use coal again in the mid-90s but there was a lot of protest. Tires were also considered. Nothing happened because the plant shut down.
Seriously, I don't know what they used during the 80s and 90s. I never saw any coal hoppers in the yard. I suspect the fuel was trucked in, but that means they had a local source for fuel. It could have been petroleum coke from the nearby refinery in Levis (which opened in 1971). The date would somewhat match. The new announced cement plant project in Gaspésie will be fuel by coke too.
OK, just did some researches, inputting the cement plant name + petroleum coke. Villeneuve plant was effectively fuel by petroleum coke. The shift from US coal to local coke, as stated, probably occurred by the mid-70s went a cheaper local source was available. Was it trucked, I don't know. I only remember covered hoppers (cylindrical and procor).
That said, I'll continue to fuel the layout plant with COAL just for the sake of Pennsylvania's hoppers coolnest factor!
Matt
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Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/
Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/