fill them with fuel and store them for future use after 1 1 2000? Every available tank should be full on the rollover yet these cars should also be available to transport fuel until the last minute. Are refineries, dealers, wholesalers etc. filling tank cars, semitrailer tanker trucks, storage tanks etc. in anticipation of the rollover? This is probably covered but it would be a shame if 10,000 empty tank cars were not utilized because no one thought to coordinate an effort to distribute and fill these cars for a potential fuel shortage. Does anyone know of contingency plans to utilize these cars?

-- Tom (Tom@curious.gom), August 30, 1999

Answers

Dont underestimate the efficiency of the market. I know of a Midwestern railroad scattering diesel tank cars through out their system. I've also heard of industrial operations leasing tank trucks to park on their property. Every available tank is gonna get used from the automobile tank right up to the refinery.

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), August 30, 1999.

Who's gonna have access to it?

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), August 30, 1999.

Driving down Route 28 (or possibly Route 7) in Northern Virginia toward Leesburg (near Dulles International Airport), looks like a half dozen concrete tanks have gone up recently. Construction is not complete. This may or may not be for fuel storage.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), August 30, 1999.

* * * 19990831 Tuesday

Will:

The pecking order for all confiscated materials/services:

1. Military

2. Public Health and Safety ( i.e., hospitals, police, fire )

3. Private homes

4. Businesses

That's the official pecking order described in Emergency Management organizations protocol documentation. Now, how that will shake out in the "global" Y2K scenario remains to be seen. My guess: It'll be a chaotic mess to implement these noble plans without the integrity of the infrastructure (i.e., utilities, telecom, and finance).

Regards, Bob Mangus

* * *

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@hotmail.com), August 31, 1999.

Noticed a single car parked outside of a brick maker facility near Reading Pa. advertising to use the railway for shipping.

-- Cassandra (american_storm@usa.net), August 31, 1999.

Thanks Bob. Actually, I knew that, although I wouldn't be surprised to see #4 move up and #3 plunge to the bottom.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), August 31, 1999.

If farmers are not given priority for fuel - you can kiss your abundant public food supply goodby. We would be lucky to produce enough for half our normal needs - and forget exporting.

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), August 31, 1999.