(The following story by Josh Brown appeared on The Virginian-Pilot website on December 29, 2009.)
NORFOLK, Va. — Two mishaps at Norfolk Southern Corp.’s Lamberts Point Coal Terminal in Norfolk brought coal shipments to a halt over the weekend.
On Saturday, an overheated bearing ignited a fire on a couple of rollers on the coal conveyors, said Robin Chapman, a spokesman for the Norfolk-based railroad. The fire melted a hole in the rubber conveyor belt, shutting down that ship loader.
Then on Sunday, the conveyor belt on the second coal loader also ripped apart, rendering that unit useless, Chapman said.
The company is repairing both conveyors and expects to restore service at both loaders by Thursday, he said.
The mishaps came a week after winter storms in Kentucky, West Virginia and western Virginia slowed delivery of coal to the Lamberts Point terminal.
Norfolk Southern sent out a notice Tuesday morning that “force majeure” was still in effect on coal shipments, referring to a contractual clause that exempts the company from liability if weather or other natural events prevent delivery of coal.