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Last month, Union Pacific Railroad loaded 1,044 trains in the southern Powder River Basin, down slightly compared with the 1,066 trains loaded in January 2008.

In Colorado and Utah, the railroad loaded 242 coal trains vs. 315 in January 2008.

Severe ice storms south and east of Kansas City, Mo., during January’s last week slowed unloading operations at some utility plants and river terminals, and delayed the return of empty trains, UP said in its weekly coal-loading performance report.

“This [also] has resulted in reduced loadings during the first part of February,” the Class I said.

So far this month, train loadings out of Colorado and Utah continue to be hampered by coal production issues. In addition, the late January ice storms continue to hinder loadings for certain customers, UP said.