Total US coal train loadings have slipped following consecutive weeks of gains, with volumes falling across the major basins.
Data filed by the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BSNF and Norfolk Southern -- for the week ended June 23 shows nationwide coal loadings averaged 98.1 trains/d, down from 102.3 trains/d the previous week. Counts had grown for two straight weeks before the decline, but totals remained well above an average of 88.7 trains/d seen during the seasonal slowdown from mid-March to mid-April.
Powder River Basin loadings fell for the first time in seven weeks, dropping to 55.7 trains/d from 58.7 trains/d the prior week.
Central Appalachian loadings slipped to 16 trains/d from 16.4 trains/d, and Illinois Basin totals fell to 6.9 trains/d from 8.6 trains/d.
Northern Appalachia was the only major basin to see an increase in loadings, with volumes rising to 11.2 trains/d from 10.9 trains/d the previous week.
In other production areas, Utica Basin loadings grew to 4.6 trains/d from 4.1 trains/d, and loadings from the outside primary basins inched higher to 3.8 trains/d from 3.6 trains/d.
