Interstate Equipment Corp

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IEC TO REBUILD AERIAL TRAMWAY SYSTEM MECHEL BLUESTONE, INC Interstate Equipment Corp (IEC ) of Pittsburgh, PA has renegotiated a contract with Mechel Bluestone, Inc, new owners of the former Bluestone Coal Group, to rebuild an existing aerial tramway system for the company's premium quality hard coking coal operations. Located in Keystone, West Virginia, near Bluefield, thel project is designed to completely refurbish an existing tramway that was engineered and built by IEC for previous owner, Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, in 1957. The new contract includes a rebuilt loading terminal, including new rails, tail sheave and spillage hopper system, as well as new pivot tower, breakover tower and discharge terminal. Mechel Bluestone, Inc facility is a continuous 20-car aerial tramway system designed to convey coal refuse at a rate of 350 tons per hour. During operation, material is transported by 40 cu. ft. tramcars from the loading terminal at 1680 ft. elevation to the discharge terminal located at 2219 ft. elevation. This represents a dramatic vertical elevation incline of 639 feet over the 1140 ft. length of the tramway system. When in operation, this system also features completely automatic controls requiring minimal supervision. Although situated in some of the most rugged terrain in rural West Virginia, the existing Keystone tramway system is proof of the design ingenuity, construction quality and low maintenance and operating cost of IEC tramway systems. For instance, after 50 years of service, many of the track cables installed in the 1957-built system are still in solid working condition today. This exceptional cable life is due to the fact that the original towers featured pivot approach rails for smoother breakover, less wear and longer cable life. In addition, many of the original steel structural components have proven as sound as the the day they were installed and, with minor refurbishing, will provide many more years of continued service. Mechel Bluestone, Inc project represents the latest in a 105-year legacy of revolutionary tramway designs that have helped earn IEC recognition as an industry leader. The company also offers a diverse line of innovative barge and material handling products, specialized engineered products, and design, engineering and installation services for customers in the power generation, petrochemical and metal/mining industries who routinely transport bulk materials by barge over inland waterways. Backed by over a century of continuous operating experience, IEC strives to benefit its customers by providing a wide range of proven alternatives to increase productivity and handling capacity, reduce energy consumption and minimize operating costs.