Diesel Fuel Rationing?

tacticalturnip · Jun 29, 2022

We can only guess as to how boned we'll be over the next few years, but I don't think most people have any idea.

Snobdds · Jun 29, 2022

I watch futures and derivative markets. The Cushing OK oil depot has a minimum throughput of 20MM barrels operating capacity to push the oil through the pipelines. They are only currently processing 21.5MM barrels.

This throughput has never been this close before.

When California wants to stop combustion engines by 2035, and the G7 just said they to will outlaw combustion engines by 2035...is it no wonder the oil companies will not invest in future oil producing ventures.

We have at least a 50/50 chance of seeing some sort of fuel rationing by the 4th quarter of this year. SCARY!

Tony H · Jun 29, 2022

Tyranny, exactly why there was a 2nd amendment. Currently being manipulated by the tyrannists.
Fuel issues would not exist if Day One in office did not include a record number of Executive Orders 'unTrumping' everything. Let the fuel companies lease the land that they were leasing.

goeduck · Jun 29, 2022

I just got a full tank of gas for $35. Granted it was for my push lawn mower.

Wakey · Jun 29, 2022

goeduck said:
I just got a full tank of gas for $35. Granted it was for my push lawn mower.

Next time fill the tank, cheapskate!

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

Jstpssng said:
so as long as it's a short recession we will be good by fall.

Good to have a positive outlook on it but I don't believe that will happen. I believe we are only beginning to get into a serious downturn, even a depression if the central government don't start showing some responsibility for their actions. Stuff is getting absurdly expensive.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

jyoutz said:
I saw a presentation last fall from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad company. They are starting construction to double the number of tracks on transcontinental routes and are planning to offer 2 day freight service from west coast ports to Chicago. They claim that each train can deliver the same freight as 165 trucks and do it for 25% of the diesel fuel used by those 165 trucks. They made the claim that they would be the primary mover of transcontinental freight within a decade, and trucks would be more short haul delivery. Interesting. I think it’s a great solution. Let’s see if this happens. They also stated that the Union Pacific Railway was planning similar things on their routes.

When I see a rail siding behind every mall and store, I'll believe it. Not gonna happen. trucks will still have to make the final deliveries and the rail is still inconsistent on deliveries.

case in point, one of my hunting buds owns a large propane storage facility not far from here and it has a rail siding that he rarely uses because the delivery of propane is hit and miss (rail) and the rail cost is about the same as trucking it. With trucks, he can actually schedule deliveries. With the rail, it could be 3 in the morning and the tank cars have to be empty within 48 hours of arrival of the rail starts charging detention fees. He stores gas for quite a few local operations, he owns and maintains 25 20K gallon bottles.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

We always prefer 'home grown' versus the supermarket irradiated, homogenized and who knows what else food they sell.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

Transitory and suppository are very similar words. I'd say we are getting the big suppository up the wazoo on fuel.

Raul-02 · Jun 29, 2022

CloverKnollFarms said:
We are returning the earth to nature.

Maybe that's exactly what they meant.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

All I know is, the bigger the tractor, the more fuel it consumes. Just like a big car. Wife's Burb LTZ gets 19, my Focus gets 40. Kind of a no brainer when we go somewhere, we take the Focus. it has climate control and cruise just like the Burb does. Don't ride as nice but I can easily overlook the cushy ride when gas is stupid priced.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

CloverKnollFarms said:
Some police in MI have stopped regular patrols, as their fuel budgets are exhausted.

Flying through ORD a few weeks ago, I have NEVER in 20 years seen the grass and weeds so tall at that airport. Partially obscuring signage for taxiways. Clearly they made a choice to do the minimum of mowing this year.

Its fun. It’s all built back better. We are returning the earth to nature.

Roadside weeds are pretty tall here. Gonna have to get the shredder out and do the berms. getting hard to see what is coming down the road.

5030 · Jun 29, 2022

One thing I've always noticed about local LE is they are always idling their cars. Need to turn them off and go sit in the local doughnut shop in the air conditioning...lol

jyoutz · Jun 29, 2022

5030 said:
When I see a rail siding behind every mall and store, I'll believe it. Not gonna happen. trucks will still have to make the final deliveries and the rail is still inconsistent on deliveries.

case in point, one of my hunting buds owns a large propane storage facility not far from here and it has a rail siding that he rarely uses because the delivery of propane is hit and miss (rail) and the rail cost is about the same as trucking it. With trucks, he can actually schedule deliveries. With the rail, it could be 3 in the morning and the tank cars have to be empty within 48 hours of arrival of the rail starts charging detention fees. He stores gas for quite a few local operations, he owns and maintains 25 20K gallon bottles.

They never said that rail would be used for local deliveries; it’s about transcontinental transportation from the ports on the west coast to the distribution centers in Chicago and the east coast.

5030 · Jun 30, 2022

jyoutz said:
They never said that rail would be used for local deliveries; it’s about transcontinental transportation from the ports on the west coast to the distribution centers in Chicago and the east coast.

Some good cannot be railed across the country because of the extended delivery times the railroads have. Perishable fruits and vegetables are one item. Another is expedited goods like next day or 2 or 3 day delivery (Fed-Ex) and UPS comes to mind. Never happen on the rail. Trans con passenger service via Am Track takes 4 days, imagine how freight would be.

... and from what I read, west coast ports are still all wadded up with ships loitering outside in the bay waiting to unload despite the fact you don't hear about it on the mainstream media.

Bottom line is, if you want expeditious delivery, not gonna be by rail, not in the immediate future. Until the population gets over the "I want it now' attitude, trucks will be the go to vehicles for trans con freight as well as local delivery.

jigs_n_fixtures · Jun 30, 2022

5030 said:
Some good cannot be railed across the country because of the extended delivery times the railroads have. Perishable fruits and vegetables are one item. Another is expedited goods like next day or 2 or 3 day delivery (Fed-Ex) and UPS comes to mind. Never happen on the rail. Trans con passenger service via Am Track takes 4 days, imagine how freight would be.

... and from what I read, west coast ports are still all wadded up with ships loitering outside in the bay waiting to unload despite the fact you don't hear about it on the mainstream media.

Bottom line is, if you want expeditious delivery, not gonna be by rail, not in the immediate future. Until the population gets over the "I want it now' attitude, trucks will be the go to vehicles for trans con freight as well as local delivery.

Rail did have high speed express freight. And could move things coast to coast as fast as, or faster than trucks.

But, when we built the interstates, and didn’t make the trucks pay for their share of construction and maintenance, we gave the trucks a huge competitive advantage. And as a result the rail system degraded into what we have now.

We need to gradually increase the ton-axle-mile fees on trucks, until they are actually covering the maintenance costs for the damage they cause, and express rail will rapidly recover.

jyoutz · Jun 30, 2022

jigs_n_fixtures said:
Rail did have high speed express freight. And could move things coast to coast as fast as, or faster than trucks.

But, when we built the interstates, and didn’t make the trucks pay for their share of construction and maintenance, we gave the trucks a huge competitive advantage. And as a result the rail system degraded into what we have now.

We need to gradually increase the ton-axle-mile fees on trucks, until they are actually covering the maintenance costs for the damage they cause, and express rail will rapidly recover.

The presentation I saw, they stated 2 days transcontinental on the expanded system that is planned. From port of entry in CA to Midwest and eastern regions. Much faster loading from ships to trains than trucks.