US coal train loadings fell to an 11-week low, due to a drop in shipments from the Northern Appalachian (NAPP) and Powder River basins, data from the Surface Transportation Board showed Monday.
Data filed to the STB by the four major Class I railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF and Norfolk Southern -- show US coal loadings averaged 94.7 trains/d, down from 97.1 trains/d in the prior week and the lowest since 94.7 trains/d were also loaded in the week ended January 12.
However, the loadings were up from 87.3 trains/d in the year-ago week. PRB loadings fell to a 13-week low 51.6 trains/d in the latest week, down from 52.7 trains/d in the previous week, but still higher than 47.7 trains/d in the year-ago week.
NAPP loadings averaged 10.6 trains/d, down from 12 trains/d in the prior week but up from 9 trains/d a year ago. Central Appalachian totals also slid to 16.1 trains/d from 16.6 trains/d a week earlier but higher than 15.2 trains/d averaged in the year-ago week.
Illinois Basin loadings remained flat week on week at 8.5 trains/d, but increased from 7.2 trains/d a year ago.
Loadings in the Utica Basin rose to 4.3 trains/d, up from 3.9 a week earlier, while loadings outside of the primary basins increased to 3.6 trains/d from 3.4 a week ago.
