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.