US weekly coal carloads rise 4.1% on week, 18.1% on year: AAR

Houston — US coal carload originations rose to 62,136 in the week that ended April 10, up 4.1% from 59,661 a week earlier and 18.1% higher than the year-ago week, according to a April 14 report from the Association of American Railroads.

It was the fourth time in the last 22 months with a week-on-week and yearly increase, while the 18.1% year-on-year increase was the largest since a 21.5% jump in the week ended June 3, 2017. However, the latest week was down 12.6% from the five-year average for the corresponding week.

Coal carloads represented 12.1% of all the traffic on US railways, up from 11.6% a week earlier, but down from 13.4% in the year-ago week.

Since Jan. 1, cumulative coal carloads are at 838,092, down 4.1% from the same period a year ago.

Coal originations on Canadian railroads – including the US operations of Canadian National, which serves several mines in the Illinois Basin – fell to 6,191 carloads, down 8.3% from a week earlier and 9.2% lower than the year-ago week. Year-to-date coal originations are up 7.6% on the year at 99,443.

Of the four major Class I railroads -- Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific and BNSF – only CSX saw a weekly and year-on-year increase.

BNSF reported 28,609 coal carload originations and interchanges in the latest week, down 0.2% from the prior week but 25.4% higher than in the year-ago week, according to rail-reported data.

So far in 2021, total BNSF carloads are at 373,489, down 4.4% from the same period a year earlier.

Union Pacific reported a four-week high 12,525 coal carload movements in the most recent week, up 28.4% from the previous week but 3.5% lower year on year.

Cumulative coal carloads so far in 2021 for UP are at 174,212, down 14.3% from the same period a year ago.

CSX coal carloads rose to 12,871, up 9.2% from a week earlier and 14% higher than the year-ago week.

Since Jan. 1, CSX coal carloads have totaled 175,088, down 1.3% from a year ago.

Norfolk Southern reported a seven-week low 12,495 coal cars loaded in the latest week, down 2.8% from the prior week but 34.7% higher on the year.

Total coal carloads for NS are at 172,147 since Jan. 1, up 5.8% from the same period a year ago.