Peabody Midwest has announced they will close the Air Quality UG Mine at Monroe City, Indiana. AQ has been in operation since the early 90s and was one of the largest Indiana UGs. The move will idle 230 miners.

The action is due to lower demand for low-sulphur steam coal.

This is the mine Brian worked at when he was mining.

It is not a good time to be a miner in Indiana.

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well thats too bad doug, was brian still working there?

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Brian hasn't worked there since about the time he was in Pa.

Staying at any job long is not his strong suit. But thanks for the concern.

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So many things I could say, most of which will probably get me in trouble.

I work for the same company so I know many of the professional staff and several of the hourly workers. I'm assuming/hoping they get the same deal when my old mine shut down. Everyone will be offered a position at another Peabody mine.

I've heard that may be the plan. Where are there enough Peabody mine to take that many folks. Without massive relocation?

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This comes as somewhat of a surprise to me 'cause I didn't realize we had any underground mines left in Indiana.

Did this one have tracks in it? Also, is the closure slated to be permanent or just until coal prices recover?

Regards,
Fred M. Cain,
Topeka, IN

There are several in the Southwest part.

This mine was too new to have rail haulage and it is a permenent.

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Are there any newer mines anywhere using rail haulage?

Regards,
Fred M. Cain

I don't think there are any "major" mines using rail haulage. That is if you are referring to using rail cars to haul the coal out of the mine. There might be some "Mom and Pop" operations in PA or WV, but I know of none in the Midwest and I've been in quite a few. Everyone uses conveyor belts to transport the coal out of the mine.

I'm quite certain there are some mines in WV that use rail to transport workers and equipment into the mine. The mine I worked at in AL had rail transportation, but for the most part companies have switched to rubber tire diesel haulage for men and equipment. I've also worked for a equipment manufacturer. In the 18 months I was there we didn't build a single piece of rail equipment. Our WV branch built a few, but it was 95%+ rubber tire diesel. It's much more versatile and eliminates the need for a "track" crew.

Regarding the Air Quality closure. It is permanent. I know the guy that is overseeing the closure.

How can you use diesel in an underground mine? I thought that no matter how good your ventilation is, there will be problems.

What problems? I've worked at six different coal mines. They all used diesel transportation.

I thought that there would be problems with carbon monoxide (or what ever it is) if you run internal combustion underground.

What you are missing is the amount of ventilation air that is moving and the fact that there is an intake (clean ) side and a return (dirty) side. Miners try to stay out of the return air if at all possible.

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Doug,

I think Dave has a good point and, actually, I've wondered about this myself. Sure, they can ventilate a mine to the point that diesel machines can be used. Why not? But it seems to me that they would have to have superior ventilation than mines that use all-electric equipment. That, in turn, would add to expenses.

I find a similar puzzle in hard rock mines that employ those huge LHD "wart hogs" to move product. I don't fully understand where the economy comes in. Drifts have to be made so much bigger for these things to work in and pass each other. Meanwhile, an electric locomotive-drawn train with steel wheels can easily pull a heck of a lot of cars. So, where is the economy of an LHD? Is it in the dispensing of the rails? Rails have indeed become horrendously expensive. I have found that out. But still, they are completely 100% recyclable and can be pulled up again and used over and over and over again. Could diesel powered LHD's perhaps be a "fad" if such a thing could exist in mining?

In a coal mine, I can see where a conveyor belt might trump rail haulage. But still, it makes you wonder.

Regards,
Fred M. cain

ive worked with both.. and hands down rail is a major pain in the ass compared to rubber tire. The amount of labor that has to go into grading/ laying/ maintaining rail haulage in phenomenal compared to replacing a tire hear and there. Rail haulage is cool and all, but when a fish plate breaks and derails a loaded 5 tonner or 3, a thousand f*cks will be said. Not to mention a 20 ton car...or the motor. its a constant battle. Also, every move you make has to be thought out with rail equipment, cause theres no turning around! you may think its simple stuff, but its a major pain when you get a half mile past the last switch and realize you needed to stop and switch the motor to the other side of the train. (also extremely time consuming - especially with one motorman, a long trip, and link and pin couplers!) and to top it off, think about the infrastructure necessary to unload rail cars compared to most rubber tire equipment.

and as for the LHDs in rock mines - most rock mines today have a lot of grades in them... ore bodies are very inconsistent generally and in chasing the trend of the vein or body, they have a lot of ramps (slopes) and such that they can easily navigate with rubber tire equipment. its waaaay faster to clean out a heading with an LHD than a mucker and a trip of cars.

lots of factors.

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