Coal news and updates

Central Appalachian coal train loadings climb to highest volumes since May: STB

An increase in Central Appalachian coal train loadings for the week ended August 14 pushed nationwide loading volumes up week over week, reports filed with the Surface Transportation Board showed.

Data in EP 724 filings from the four major US railroads Thursday show on average 22.2 trains were loaded each day with CAPP coal, up from 19.5 trains/day the previous week and above the average of 19.8 trains/d this year.

It was the highest volume of CAPP coal train loadings since the week ended May 1.

Coal train loadings increased nationwide to 126.8 trains/d from 125.9 trains/d the prior week, and average 120.1 trains/d for the year.

Northern Appalachia coal train loadings fell to 14.2 trains/d from 15.3 trains/d the prior week. Combined, daily coal train loadings for the Appalachian basins have averaged 33.5 trains/d the year, and totals were at 36.4 trains/d in the latest report.

In the west, Powder River Basin coal train loadings were down slightly to 73.1 trains/d from 73.4 trains/d the prior week but have remained above the yearly average of 69.3 trains/d in four of the last five weeks.

The latest report marks the first time since late February that PRB loadings have been above 73 trains/d in back-to-back weeks.

Illinois Basin daily train loadings were up to 9.3 trains/d from 9 trains/d the previous week. ILB loading volumes have been below the yearly average of 9.8 trains/d for six straight weeks.

Daily coal train loadings from the Utica Basin were down to 5.4 trains/d from 5.7 trains/d the week before, and loadings from outside the primary basins were down to 2.6 trains/d from 3 trains/d the previous week.

COAL LOADINGS BY RAILROAD

In the west, BNSF reported an average of 50.6 daily coal train loadings, down from 53.1 trains/d the previous week, with 48 trains/d of PRB coal and 2.6 trains/d of coal from outside the primary basins.

Union Pacific reported an average of 30.7 daily coal train loadings, up from 29 trains/d the previous week, with 25.1 trains/d of PRB coal, 5.4 trains/d of Utica Basin coal and 0.2 trains/d of ILB coal.

In the east, CSX reported an average of 23.5/d daily train loadings, up from 21.7 trains/d the previous week, with 13.1 trains/d of CAPP coal, 5.6 trains/d of NAPP coal and 4.8 trains/d of ILB coal.

Norfolk Southern reported an average of 22 daily train loadings, down slightly from 22.1/d trains the previous week, with 9.1 trains/d of CAPP coal, 8.6 trains/d of NAPP coal and 4.3 trains/d of ILB coal.

source: http://www.platts.com