Overall US coal train loadings were flat week on week, remaining at year-low volumes, railroad reports show.
Data in EP 724 filings made by the four major US railroads for the week ending March 4 shows US coal loadings totaled 86.2 trains/d, the same as the previous week.
US coal loadings volumes have averaged just 88.9 trains/d through nine weeks this year compared to 128.6 trains/d in the year-ago period. Coal loadings have averaged less than 90 trains/d since the first week of February.
Coal train loadings from the Powder River Basin fell to a new year-low for the second straight week, slipping to 45.6 trains/d from 48.4 trains/d. PRB loadings have averaged 50.9 trains/d so far in 2016 compared to 77.2 trains/d in the year-ago period.
Coal loadings from Central Appalachian were down to 13.9 trains/d from 14.6 trains/d the week before. Northern Appalachian loadings increased to 12.6 trains/d from 10.6 trains/d.
Illinois Basin coal loadings averaged 8.2 trains/d, up from 7.1 trains/d the prior week.
Coal train loadings from the Utica Basin were up slightly to 3.7 trains/d from 3.6 trains/d, and loadings from outside the primary basins increased to 2.1 trains/d from 1.9 trains/d.
