US coal train loading volumes were flat for the third straight week with gains in the West offsetting eastern declines.
Data filed by the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BSNF and Norfolk Southern -- for the week ending October 20 shows nationwide coal loadings averaged 100.3 trains/day, identical to counts the previous two weeks.
Powder River Basin loadings, which fell last week, increased to 58.2 trains/d from 55.6 trains/d.
Central Appalachian counts dipped slightly to 16.1 trains/d from 16.3 trains/d, and Northern Appalachian volumes were down to 10.3 trains/d from 11.6 trains/d.
Illinois Basin counts declined to 8.1 trains/d from 8.6 trains/d.
In other production areas, Utica Basin loadings slipped to 4.4 trains/d from 5.1 trains/d, while loadings from the outside the primary basins were up to 3.5 trains/d from 3.3 trains/d.
