By Jim Levesque

September 25, 2017 - US coal train loadings volumes fell for the fourth straight week behind weakening in the Powder River Basin.

Data filed by the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BSNF and Norfolk Southern -- for the week ended September 15 showed nationwide coal loadings averaged 103.2 trains/d, down from 104.3 trains/d the previous week.

Gains seen in the major Eastern basins were outpaced by Western declines, as PRB loadings slipped to 59.9 trains/d from 61.9 trains/d the previous week. PRB counts were last below 60 trains/d the first week in July.

Central Appalachian coal loadings increased to 16.3 trains/d from 15.9 trains/d the prior week, and Northern Appalachian volumes grew to 10.7 trains/d from 9.4 trains/d.

Illinois Basin counts increased slightly to 8.4 trains/d from 8.3 trains/d.

In other production areas, Utica Basin loadings dipped to 4.7 trains/d from 5 trains/d, while loadings from the outside the primary basins were down to 3.6 trains/d from 4 trains/d.