US coal train loadings increased to a five-week high for the week ended May 18, due to a rise in shipments from Central Appalachia, Powder River and Illinois Basins, data from the Surface Transportation Board showed Friday.
Data filed to the STB by the four major Class I railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF and Norfolk Southern -- show US coal loadings averaged 93.4 trains/day, up from 91.6 trains/day in the prior week and the highest since 93.6 trains/day in the week ended April 13.
The loadings were also up from 90.6 trains/day in the year-ago week.
Average Central Appalachian loadings jumped to a nine-week high 17.2 trains/day in the latest week, up from 16.4 trains/day in the prior week and 16.8 trains/day a year ago.
Northern Appalachia loadings averaged 12 trains/day, down from 13.1 trains a week earlier and were the only basin to see a week-on-week decrease. However, NAPP loadings were up sharply from 9.4 trains averaged in the year-ago week.
PRB loadings climbed to a six-week high 51 trains/day, up from 49.8 trains in the prior week and also 49.8 in the year-ago week.
Illinois Basin loadings rose to 8.5 trains/day, up from 7.9 a week ago and 7.6 a year earlier.
Utica Basin loadings were at 3.3 trains/day, unchanged from a week ago but down from 3.8 trains in the year-ago week.
Loadings outside of the primary basins increased to 1.4 trains/day, from 1.1 a week ago, but down from 3.2 trains/day in the year-ago week.
