Weekly US coal carload originations totaled 69,186 in the week ended July 17, up 18.3% from the previous week and up 23.3% from the year-ago week, Association of American Railroads data showed July 21.
Carloads made up 13.5% of total US traffic during the week, while the five-year average for week 28 is 78,526 carloads, leaving the most recent week at an 11.9% deficit. Through the year so far, carload originations were up 12.3 from the 2020 period.
Canadian coal carload originations were 4,631, up 47.7% week on week and down 27.5% year on year. Through 28 weeks, originations were up 8%.
Coal carloads from the four major US Class I railroads totaled 73,386 in the most recent week, jumping 24.4% from the year-ago week. Through the year so far, carloads were over 1.8 million, up 12%.
BNSF carloads totaled 32,080, up 4.5% from the previous week and up 27.3% from the year-ago week. Coal produced 16% of total BNSF weekly traffic, and over 28 weeks, coal carloads were up 9.6% year on year.
Carloads from Union Pacific totaled 17,366, up 10.8% from the week before and up 17.9% from the year-ago week. Coal traffic was 11% of UP’s weekly carloads.
UP coal carloads were down 2.1% over 28 weeks compared with the year-ago period.
CSX coal carloads jumped 56.6% week on week to 13,531. From the year-ago week, they rose 28.5%. During the week, carloads made up 11.3% of total traffic. Compared to the year-ago period, carloads were up 16.8% over 28 weeks.
Norfolk Southern carloads totaled 10,409, up 20.7% week on week and up 6.6% year on year. Coal carloads produced 7.6% of weekly NS traffic, and over 28 weeks, coal carloads were up 22.1% from the 2020 period.
Source: Platts