Coal trains roll as Michigan power plant gets a lifeline

Powder River coal will continue to flow from Wyoming to Michigan, thanks to an order from the Trump Administration to keep the J.H. Campbell Power Plant in West Olive, Michigan operational for another 90 days. The order came just days before the plant’s scheduled shutdown.   

Thank You, President Trump 

Given the decisive action to keep the J.H. Campbell Power Plant up and running, SMART-TD wants to formally recognize and thank President Trump and his administration, especially Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, for making this decision. Keeping Campbell open means keeping us on the job and keeping the lights on in Michigan.

A Shot in the Arm for Working Railroaders

“Keeping the Campbell Plant open is huge for the men and women of our local,” said Andy Duncan, Local Chairperson of SMART-TD Local 313 based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Between the loaded trains going into the plant, the empty road trains coming out, the crews that put the empties together, and the road pusher crews that help get the loads up Saugatuck Hill outside of the plant, we’ve got six to eight SMART-TD members working that plant every single day. And that’s just on the CSX side.” 

The coal starts its way to the plant via BNSF unit trains from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin before being handed off and moved by CSX crews through Illinois into Michigan.  

“We’ve been watching this shutdown process develop for almost a year,” Brother Duncan explained, noting that coal runs have been decreasing in anticipation of the plant closure. “We’ve been sharing articles, writing our representatives. It’s really good to finally see something done that keeps these jobs alive, at least for now. We’re hoping the Trump Administration can turn this into a permanent solution.” 

It’s About Paychecks, Not Politics

The environmental, economic, and legal debates surrounding coal-fired power generation are complex and deeply political, but SMART-TD has always had a clear and focused mission: protect and support the working men and women who keep the country moving. 

We are not engaging in debates about emissions, sustainability, or the use of executive power. Every loaded coal train means good jobs, running across thousands of miles of rail and involving dozens of our members.  

The Campbell plant has been up and running since 1967.  
 
“The coal used to come from the East, mainly out of West Virginia, and then it changed to a blend of Eastern and Western coal. Now it all comes in from the West, out of Wyoming and Nebraska. But one thing hasn’t changed in all these years: it has always been delivered by railroaders. The plant staying open is very important to our crews,” Local 313 Legislative Representative Shaun Clark explained. 

“According to a CSX manager in Grand Rapids, they are projecting 30 loaded coal trains coming into the plant in June alone. So that is two trains a day when you factor in the empties coming out. I can’t tell you how good this is for us.”  

“There’s going to be a lot of work ahead building up the coal supply they let dwindle. This is good news for SMART-TD’s CSX members, BNSF members, and our union brothers and sisters working at the plant,” Brother Duncan explained. “There are union electricians, pipefitters, you name it, working in the plant itself. The Campbell plant is full of union members, and this is a great day for all of them, too.” 

From Powder River to the Great Lakes — We Keep America Running 

From the union miners of Wyoming to the yard crews of Grand Rapids, the Campbell Power Plant touches every part of this country’s working backbone. Let’s fight to keep it going. We’ve got the trains. We’ve got the crews. Let’s keep the coal and the jobs rolling.