US coal train loadings increased 9.7% week on week on increased output across all major basins.
Data filed by the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF and Norfolk Southern -- for the week ending January 12 shows US coal loadings averaged 86.5 trains/d, up from 78.9 trains/d the previous week.
Eastern coal activity picked up following rail slowdowns to start 2018 as cold weather blanketed much of the Appalachian region.
Central Appalachia loadings climbed to 10.6 trains/d from 9.7 trains/d, and Northern Appalachian counts were up to 7.3 trains/d from 6.3 trains/d.
Illinois Basin loadings grew to 7.6 trains/d from 6.8 trains/d.
In the West, Powder River Basin loadings increased to 53.6 trains/d from 50.5 trains/d the prior week.
In other production areas, Utica Basin loadings were up to 4.1 trains/d from 2.3 trains/d, while loadings from the outside the primary basins were up to 3.4 trains/d from 3.1 trains/d.
