US coal train loadings fell for a third straight week as counts continued to slide into the shoulder season.
Data filed by the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BSNF and Norfolk Southern -- for the week ended September 8 shows nationwide coal loadings averaged 104.3 trains/d, down from 111.8 trains/d the previous week.
Eastern basins saw the biggest change, with Central Appalachian and Northern Appalachian volumes down from near year-high marks. CAPP loadings dipped to 15.9 trains/d from 18.2 trains/d the previous week, and NAPP counts fell to 9.4 trains/d from 13.4 trains/d.
Powder River Basin volumes continued to fluctuate, with loadings slipping to 61.9 trains/d from 63.5 trains/d.
Illinois Basin counts were nearly steady, increasing slightly to 8.3 trains/d from 8.2 trains/d.
In other production areas, Utica Basin loadings increased to 5 trains/d from 4.1 trains/d, while loadings from the outside the primary basins were down to 4 trains/d from 4.7 trains/d.
