Banning Loadout

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This page was last updated on June 15, 2023.

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Overview

The Banning loadout was developed by Soldier Creek Coal Co., starting in 1976 to allow coal to be loaded directly into rail cars and moved over the national railroad network. Banning was at mile post 5.5 on D&RGW's Sunnyside Branch, where the branch passes under U.S. Highway 6 at what is known on the highway as Sunnyside Junction.

The Banning loadout was operated by Savage Coal Service Corp. under contract with Solder Creek Coal Co.

(Read more about the Soldier Creek Coal Company)

Timeline

(Unless noted, all information comes from the files of the Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining, Coal Permit C0070034, "Banning Loadout")

May 24, 1976
D&RGW leased about 15 acres to Soldier Creek Coal Co. on May 24, 1976.

July 1976
Regulatory studies of the site began in July 1976.

October 18, 1976
The federal Bureau of Land Management gave its approval of the Banning Loadout site on October 18, 1976.

1979
Construction was begun in 1977, and was completed in 1979.

1988
The capacity of the Banning loadout was increased from 3,000 tons per day, to 6,000 tons per day. The work was completed in late December 1988.

1996
Soldier Creek Coal company (and its Soldier Canyon mine) was sold to Canyon Fuel company, a new company owned jointly by Arco Coal (65%) and Itochu of Japan (35%).

(Read more about Canyon Fuel Company)

March 1999
Production at the Soldier Canyon mine ceased in March 1999, and that mine was sealed in July 1999. All stockpiled coal was removed and all mobile equipment was also removed. Structures at the mine remained in place.

March 2000
The Banning loadout was idled indefinitely after Canyon Fuel Company reduced production at its Dugout Canyon mine. All coal produced from Dugout Canyon was trucked to the Savage Coal Terminal near Price, Utah.

July 15, 2004
"Arch Coal, Inc. announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Itochu Corporation's 35% interest in Canyon Fuel Company, LLC for a contract price of $112 million. With the completion of this transaction, Canyon Fuel will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Arch Coal." (Arch Coal, Inc., press release dated July 15, 2004, "today")

August 16, 2013
Bowie Resource Holdings completed its purchase of 100 percent interest of Canyon Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Arch Coal Company. The purchase included the Soldier Canyon mine, along with the Dugout Canyon mine, the Banning loadout, the Sufco mine, and the Gordon Creek mines (previously owned by Mountain Coal Company). The purchase agreement was first signed on June 27, 2013.

June 2016
As late as June 2016, the site continued to be monitored for environmental issues.

October 15, 2018
Bowie Resource Partners, LLC, has changed its corporate name to Wolverine Fuels, LLC. The change includes a new office location in Sandy, Utah. (Wolverine Fuels press release dated October 15, 2018)

April 2022
Final reclamation of the Banning loadout area began in September of 2021 and was completed in April of 2022. An application for the release of the reclamation bond was made in late 2022, but was withdrawn in March 2023.

June 2023
Canyon Fuel Company, LLC of Midvale, Utah, announced that it intended to renew its permit for the operation of the Banning Loadout. The currently approved permit is number C/007/034. Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, operates the Banning Loadout a coal loading facility which is located eight miles east of Wellington, Utah, along the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way.

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