Should coal stay?

All us CP fans know that the venerable CPLE railroad steam engines use coal as their energy source. But, with all the talk about global warming, it may come to pass that CP loses their exemption to burn coal openly and the trains have to switch to something else (ala Disney). IMO that would be terrible. Those engines are a living history. Without the black smoke belching and the distinct smell, it wouldn't be the same.

What are your thoughts?

The amount of smoke being created by CPLE has zero effect when compared to the amounts of pollutants being put out by heavy industry in China.

There are much bigger things to worry about than the train. Unfortunately, those much bigger things have much more money to buy the dirty politicians in Washington and the end result is that they keep on going and the little guy gets screwed. So odds are CPLE WILL lose its exemption and have to switch to something else.

All in the name of progress.... by congress.. right?

I do not think that they will stop using coal. Although it is a pollutant, like John said, I think that this earth has bigger things to worry about than Cedar Point's steam engines. In the distant future, they may have to use an alternative fuel source. But I don't think it will happen anytime soon.

I did notice that Halloweekends felt a tad bit warmer this year. Must be the coal.

The impact from the trains at Cedar Point is minimal. Heck if all the trains in amusement parks used coal the impact would still be very minimal. And the historical significance is severe.
So in my opinion the historical significance of the coal trains out-ways the environmental impact that the trains have, and they will be saying around for quite awhile.

^^ A few more seasons of running the trains and CP can stay open all year long! ;)

Coal should stay, it would not be the same with a different fuel. Saying CP's engines contribute to global warming is like saying someone is contributing to coastal flooding after spitting into the ocean.

Folks, I agree. The contribution of the CP RR to global warming is beyond insignificant. But, that won't stop some extremist from seeing that black belch of smoke as the engine pulls away from the station, getting his/her group all fired up (pun intended) and writing a letter to their local politician. You know the drill. Luckily, the people on PB will come to the rescue!

One of my favourite things about CP is the smell of the coal burning. A day at CP wouldn't be the same if I didn't get a good whiff of the coal smoke.

You also have to realize what it would take to convert the engines to burn an alternate fuel. The grates for burngin coal would have to be removed from the firebox, a burner system and damper doors would have to be instaled for whatever type of fuel is selected. A brick arch would have to be added inside the firebox to insure proper combustion. A tank would have to fabricated to hold the fuel as well a delivery system and a safety cutout system should the fire go out. A lot of plumbing would have to done. There is a lot more involved than just changing fuels and they can be very costly conversations!

We discussed this a few years back after a few higher ups saw how clean burning KI's steam engines were. We got them to realize that there six 100 gallon propane tanks in the tenders of those engines and they have to be filled every day. I did the fuel price comparison and for what it cost KI to run one train on 12 to 8 day, CP could run two all day on a 10am to 12 midnight day. Also the coal that we burn is about the cleanest burning coal that you can get. So I don't see the coal going away any time soon. The railroad is an insular operation so there really is no stipulation on what type of fuel they have to burn.

I really like the effect of the trains! It reminds of the past. Plus it matched the western theme over by the Maverick.

Now a discussion I like----trains.

As a railroad engineer the discussion comes up about fuel and pollution standards.Most new diesel engines are being developed into tier 2 standards which practically knock down all emissions.

However there are many excursion trains--especially out west that are still using the old steamengines to haul their tourist.Most of them "belch"out alot more pollutiants then the CP@LE railroad does.Most of the fuel sources that are being used and more clean burning as the CPLE engineer stated and that for a fact should keep them burning as they should be.

I cant see mgmt spending ALOT of captial too convert the engines to other fuel sources unless the cost of fuel becomes expensive and it pays to convert.

Sure most companies are becoming "green"companies and are looking for ways to cut down,however nothing is better then standing at the crossing and watching the train pass with the smell of the coal burning and the feeling of traveling in the past.

the cp & le rr will be fine as long as al "i hate fossil fuels" gore doesn't come to the park. if he saw myron, judy and george, he'd probably wet his big girl panties.

Yes, gilbert, but how do you really feel?

At least during his vice presidency, Gore never shot anybody in the face. Maybe there's a plus side to 'big girl panties'.

...and he did bring us the internet, making all this rich discussion possible.

Yes, in Congress he was certainly a major supporter for funding of the forerunner of the Internet. Although he never declared he "invented" the Internet. Or were you being facetious?

Affirmitve, Ensign. ;) There are two points of facetiousness in the post, actually.

I tip my hat to you, sir. You are too smooth for me. ;)

JuggaLotus said:
There are much bigger things to worry about than the train.

See, that's the problem with our culture overall, whether it comes to pollution, recycling, voting or whatever, that people justify the micro view by ignoring the aggregate view. Everyone thinks one doesn't matter, which adds up to a lot of things that do. It's short sighted. Making it some political issue is silly as well. Preserving what we have is hardly some liberal agenda. It strikes me as an issue of survival.

Honestly I could take it or leave it. Few among us were alive when these kinds of locomotives were used commercially, so I'm not entirely sure where the nostalgia comes from.