VGN (Virginian) Coal Territory: Any Updates ... ?

[NW Mailing List]

Can anyone provide an update on what is going on with the VGN's coal territory these days?

- The present status of deep mines vs. stripping?
- Which coal operations are still functioning?
- How much coal is now coming out of this territory?
- Is that coal export or domestic coal?
- Which route is the existing traffic taking (Kellysville, or Gilbert) ?
- Are there any crews still assigned at Elmore/Mullens ?
- Which branches are still in service?
- Which branches have been removed or slated for removal?
- Is there any traffic at all moving via Deepwater/Charleston?
- Has the CTC signal system to Deepwater been kept functional?

I also wonder about the fate of the men who worked those coal territory runs. Was their seniority good anywhere else?

Here are some statistics on Consol (Consolidation Coal) which tell me the coal business is not moribund: Company capitalization $2.8 Billion, Earnings per share are a whopping $16.63, Price/Earnings Ratio 5.57 (vs. Norfolk Southern's PE of 36.46,) and at $97.15, the shares are trading within 10% of their all time high. Over the last year, Consol had a revenue of $2.4 Billion, a return on equity of 39.5%, and gave its investors a 35.65% return per dollar invested.  Not many American companies could match that performance.

-- abram burnett
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