Found a LOT of Model 3's in a Tesla lot - Pictures inside

[mongo]

Musk mentioned that in re: Tesla semis, which need to travel few in a row so that less air resistance causes the cost of electricity to run them be cheaper than to transport goods by rail.

The cheaper than rail numbers also included less than 3 fully paid drivers...

 

[dc_h]

This thread is off track

 

[kengchang]

This thread is off track

Highly suggest you to change the word "track" to "rail" /s

 

[augkuo]

4/9/2018 around 7:30am - no car carriers in the lot. Lot is filled back up with only aisles 1-3 empty (presumably for the carriers)

4/9/2018 around 1:30PM one car carrier in the lot and aisle 3 filled with cars.

 

[wdolson]

I had heard in the past they needed the land where the Rail came in, for more buildings. there is just a dirt pile there at the moment. They had a beautiful 3 track rail loading center.

Personally I think it was an ill thought out move that is going to cost them in the logistics. It was there and paid for. Granted a lot of the ties may have needed to be replaced due to age but that is minor to the cost of replacement. But still it was there and paid for.

Railroads have annual maintenance fees. On of those is the cost to retain rail switches. Tesla had two connected to UP. The railroads want to minimize the derailment risks and are very vigilant on their maintenance. So I have heard number of up to $60,000 A YEAR to keep a switch in service, used or not. Tesla at the time wasn't using there so they said cut them out and avoid the fees. (Happened to a buddy of mine here on the east coast). Dirt road crossing fees are $600.00 a year minimum. Daily switching costs from UP are not cheap either.

Now Tesla will have to pay to reinstall the loading center back in and that will now cost Millions to start over. Infrastructure costs for RR's are staggering. Car Demure is also not cheap either.

I don't know what is at Richmond and who they could be sharing the loading facilities with. But Tesla may be avoiding all these direct costs by sharing the site with other car companies??? It could be a UP Transload facility, I just dont know. Here on the east cost is Jessup MD. All brands ship into this location for the Baltimore & DC area. Tesla might be the only outbound cars but others could be coming inbound which is nice for the RR's who would be pulling out empties.

Richmond has three car carrier facilities. Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda, and Subaru all offload cars there. Subaru also loads cars there (probably cars shipped from Japan). I expect most of the offloaded cars are cars built in other parts of the US and they are being offloaded for sale in California. Some may be coming from the Port of Los Angeles which is the biggest car import port in the US.

Tesla probably gets a discount for loading there because the car carrier railroad cars would end up dead heading back to their place of origin without Tesla.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Richmond has three car carrier facilities. Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda, and Subaru all offload cars there. Subaru also loads cars there (probably cars shipped from Japan). I expect most of the offloaded cars are cars built in other parts of the US and they are being offloaded for sale in California. Some may be coming from the Port of Los Angeles which is the biggest car import port in the US.

Tesla probably gets a discount for loading there because the car carrier railroad cars would end up dead heading back to their place of origin without Tesla.

View attachment 292977

There you go, that might be why Tesla does it.

It's nice to see they took down the construction fence so we can get better pictures.

Thanks again for posting the shots.

 

[augkuo]

4/10/18 around 7:30am - no car carriers and lot is totally full. Not sure how they’re going to get many car carriers in the lot now

 

[sooner]

It's nice to see they took down the construction fence so we can get better pictures.

But what are they still working on adding? A concrete wall to better impede our super sleuth?

AND hopefully the car carriers are still traveling back and forth, else they will have to stop production due to no more storage room!

 

[Zorg]

Saw one carrier going in around 8:30

 

[dc_h]

Saw one carrier going in around 8:30

May be picking up in back while the work is happening on this lot?

 

[bmah]

Loving the daily installment of the "Sunrise over Tesla" photography series!

Bruce.

 

[RedOctober]

May be picking up in back while the work is happening on this lot?

Time for another flyover. Who is the person doing those? Augkuo has been doing the bulk of the work here.

 

[SMAlset]

New invites went out today so we know some of those cars will be off the lot real soon.

 

[Big Earl]

View attachment 293092 View attachment 293093 View attachment 293094 View attachment 293095 View attachment 293096 View attachment 293097 View attachment 293098 View attachment 293099 4/10/18 around 7:30am - no car carriers and lot is totally full. Not sure how they’re going to get many car carriers in the lot now

From the second picture, it looks like a blue Chevy Volt wants to grow up to be a Tesla.

 

[augkuo]

4/10/18 around 5:15 pm - 3 car carriers in the lot, I guess the truckers aren’t early risers

 

[MidnightRider]

Did you write your name in the fresh cement?

Looks like they cleared some out.

 

[augkuo]

4/11/18 around 8:30am - lot is still filled and 3 car carriers managed to get in and load

 

[ummgood]

That's my car!!!

 

[Electroman]

That's my car!!!

View attachment 293450

Is your VIN 12086? if not that is not your car.

 

[ummgood]

Is your VIN 12086? if not that is not your car.

Hey now don't ruin my day!

My VIN is 152xx.