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RKA / Shell
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:25 pm
by AARR
There is a bulk gas distributor terminal in Romulus at Wick and Middlebelt. I have been watching it for many years. Most of those years it was operated by RKA. A few years ago Shell took over. It is served by NS.
For most of the years they had a single spur and always had 1-5 tank cars of ethanol in it.
About 3-4 years ago they added a second spur and both spurs usually had 1-5 tank cars in them.
A couple years ago Shell took over and carloads dropped to a few a week.
I have not seen any tank cars there in a few months now.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:51 pm
by TrainWatcher
Thats correct Don. I also haven't seen or heard of movements there. And last time I was by there seemed to be a lack of fuel trucks in the lot as well.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:17 pm
by redside20
Coincidence? Shell is closing a refinery in Wood River Illinois near St Louis. Could any tankers that were brought here to the gas depot could have come from that facility?
http://www.altondailynews.com/news/deta ... 7&id=23174
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:43 am
by hoborich
How do you create gas shortages to raise prices? Just close a refinery, buy out a competitor and shut that down too.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:07 am
by TrainWatcher
IIRC the RKA Facility was related to the fuel for the Detroit Metro Airport.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:22 pm
by AARR
It appears rail shipments started again. Today I saw five tank cars on the Shell spur. The tank cars were white with a black band around the middle. I haven't seen this color pattern in ethanol service so I don't know what commodity the tank cars might have carried.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:20 pm
by TrainWatcher
Been shipping again since mid-summer. Seems to be oil, but I haven't seen a good look at the placards.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:53 pm
by hoborich
The number on the placards should tell you. I did that just yesterday, when I saw a cut of 30 loaded tankers on the lead going down to Port Everglades terminal. The number 1987 was on the placards and comes up as some kind of alcohol, probably ethanol.
Due to weather issues, I am forced to do my train watching in sunny Florida, until the weather issues subside.
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:20 pm
by MSchwiebert
Current Google maps has the facility marked as "Sunoco Logistics Partners" Click on the link below for details.
http://www.sunocologistics.com/Customer ... t-Map/241/
Re: RKA / Shell
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:58 pm
by AARR
Thanks for the correction, MS. SLP has acquired some other local tank farms. This is the only rail served one that I know of.