Comments on: Visualizing 48 Million Tons of Coal

By: JP Kemmick

JP Kemmick — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:58:42 +0000

Question: A lot of the pro-coal train folks at the Spokane hearing refuted the idea that 60 additional trains could even fit through Spokane based purely on rail capacity. I’d be curious to know your thoughts on that figure, if it’s an unreasonable request by the coal companies of if maybe the train conductors and engineers I talked to are mistaken.

Thanks,
JP in Montana

By: Eric de Place

Eric de Place — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:59:44 +0000

We know pretty much exactly how much coal has already gone through Seattle. It adds up to about 1/10th of the amount planned for Cherry Point alone. (See: http://daily.sightline.org/2012/10/05/recent-coal-export-trends-q2-2012/)

Coal trains serving Kinder Morgan’s planned facility at Port Westward (30 million tons) and the planned facility at Coos Bay (perhaps 10 million tons) would travel through Portland.

By: Washy

Washy — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:19:46 +0000

Isn’t Portland on the opposite side of the river that the coal trains are on?? Yep it is I work for the railroad on the Oregon side and we don’t run any coal trains, so explain to me how this effects the Portland area again?? I like the little visual thing, to bad he’s blowing it out of proportion, there will never be that kind of coal on the ground, and do you people have a clue how much coal has already gone through Seattle??

By: Michael Riordan

Michael Riordan — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:56:38 +0000

For those of you familiar with the Paris skyline (who’s not?), 48 million tons of coal per year corresponds to an Eiffel Tower’s worth passing through Seattle (or Bellingham or Marysville, or …) EVERY OTHER HOUR. Think about it.

By: Todd Nelson

Todd Nelson — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:51:54 +0000

My Bellingham coal scoping comment (2012OCT27) was about cumulative and comprehensive coal impacts over the useful life of the Cherry Point action, say 25 to 35 years. Billion of total tons of coal, and billions of tons GHG. Can anyone run with this and help us visualize the lifetime impacts of a political pro coal decision today? And then combine all the North West coal actions proposed. Thanks.

By: Michelle Parker

Michelle Parker — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 02:22:56 +0000

Visually, I like the instant appeal of the first graphic. But I keep wondering where the Pike Place Market fits in, because you mention the Market in your description.

The second graphic includes the Pike Place Market, but then the Space Needle is so far away it loses its impact.

Maybe you could include a third graphic that just shows the Space Needle — completely buried in the middle of all that coal. The Needle is such a Seattle icon, it could have a huge visual impact!

By: Clark Williams-Derry

Clark Williams-Derry — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:42:35 +0000

That’s actually my feeling, LF! But from other comments, not just on this thread, I think we’re in the minority.

By: Clark Williams-Derry

Clark Williams-Derry — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:42:02 +0000

Yep, it’s a big cone. I suppose at the very tippy top it would be a bit rounded. Thanks for the feedback!

By: LF

LF — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:38:24 +0000

The second graphic works better, the first one makes it seem like the pile will stretch from the space needle, all the way to downtown.

By: Visualizing Progress

Visualizing Progress — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 20:12:21 +0000

Wow! That could even call for a side-by-side graphic of Seattle-Portland coal mountains! A graphic like that could really bring it home emphasizing the coals’ towering monstrosity that’s better off below ground than above. (And with today’s clean energy alternatives, it could really emphasize how passe and obsolete the coal industry is becoming. In other words, why are they wasting their time?!)