This photo of the big crane at the Millersburg reloading center is from October 2023.
It was a year ago, in October 2023, that I last parked the bike at the new but dormant intermodal shipping center in Millersburg. Now it looks as though this multimillion-dollar terminal will finally get some use.
The Millersburg Planning Commission has approved a conditional use permit allowing a company named Omni Energy Trading LLC to operate the center at 3435 Old Salem Road N.E.
The company is based in Florida, according to its application. It plans to use the center as a “green energy transload facility” to unload “renewable diesel” fuel from rail cars to trucks for regional distribution.
The work will be done by a “mobile transload unit” moving back and forth along the center of the new rail tracks, where the company will build a containment area to catch any spills.
This transloading apparently will not need the new crane assembled at the center after it was completed in December 2022, funded by about $23.8 million from the state and nearly $13 million from Linn County.
Omni Energy anticipates unloading up to 20 railcars a day. Each car carries enough to fill four trucks, meaning up to 80 trucks per day or 160 truck trips in or out of the center.
“Renewable diesel,” by the way, is the term for fuel made from fats and oils such as soybean and canola oil. It is processed to be chemically the same as petroleum diesel and can be used the same way. (The “renewable” kind is supposed to be different from “biodiesel,” but I don’t understand how.)
Once the fuel loading starts, the center can still accommodate transloading of containers or freight or agricultural commodities. This was the original intent, but so far no containers have been handled there.
I’ll try to learn more about the diesel operation, including when it’s scheduled to start, from the company president when I catch up with him by phone or email. (hh)
Intermodal center to get some ‘green’ life
This photo of the big crane at the Millersburg reloading center is from October 2023.
It was a year ago, in October 2023, that I last parked the bike at the new but dormant intermodal shipping center in Millersburg. Now it looks as though this multimillion-dollar terminal will finally get some use.
The Millersburg Planning Commission has approved a conditional use permit allowing a company named Omni Energy Trading LLC to operate the center at 3435 Old Salem Road N.E.
The company is based in Florida, according to its application. It plans to use the center as a “green energy transload facility” to unload “renewable diesel” fuel from rail cars to trucks for regional distribution.
The work will be done by a “mobile transload unit” moving back and forth along the center of the new rail tracks, where the company will build a containment area to catch any spills.
This transloading apparently will not need the new crane assembled at the center after it was completed in December 2022, funded by about $23.8 million from the state and nearly $13 million from Linn County.
Omni Energy anticipates unloading up to 20 railcars a day. Each car carries enough to fill four trucks, meaning up to 80 trucks per day or 160 truck trips in or out of the center.
“Renewable diesel,” by the way, is the term for fuel made from fats and oils such as soybean and canola oil. It is processed to be chemically the same as petroleum diesel and can be used the same way. (The “renewable” kind is supposed to be different from “biodiesel,” but I don’t understand how.)
Once the fuel loading starts, the center can still accommodate transloading of containers or freight or agricultural commodities. This was the original intent, but so far no containers have been handled there.
I’ll try to learn more about the diesel operation, including when it’s scheduled to start, from the company president when I catch up with him by phone or email. (hh)
Tags: Intermodal Center, Millersburg, Omni Energy Trading LLC, renewable diesel