January 2, 2025 -  Reading & Northern Railroad has shipped more than 1 million tons of anthracite coal for the third straight year, the company announced on Dec. 31.

That figure came despite a downturn in export volume, the railroad said in a press release, thanks to the domestic market that mainly supports U.S. steel production. The railroad’s domestic anthracite traffic grew nearly 20% in 2025, with most shipments going to electric-arc furnace steel mills across the country. To support the traffic, the railroad purchased additional hoppers in mid-December that are expected to be delivered in January or February 2026. They will join R&N’s fleet of more than 2,000 railcars, and the railroad anticipates purchasing additional equipment to meet the demand.

Overall, the railroad expects to move more than 40,000 carloads in 2026.

R&N first reached the 1-million-ton mark in 2023.