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Despite persistent Missouri River flooding in July, Union Pacific Railroad loaded more coal trains in the southern Powder River Basin (SPRB) on a year-over-year basis. The Class I loaded 1,036 trains in the SPRB last month vs. 1,033 in July 2010, and met 90.2 percent of National Coal Transportation Association (NCTA) demand.

UP registered 188 missed loading opportunities in the SPRB, 128 of which were attributable to operational issues resulting from the floods, 30 to mines and 30 to slow unloading at plants, UP officials said in a weekly coal loading performance report. Missed loadings were partially offset by 77 extra loadings.

“River levels on the Missouri have dropped along the River Subdivision east of Kansas City and the Falls City Subdivision north of Kansas City, where we have begun to run some trains at reduced speeds with ongoing curfews and slow orders while track repairs are under way,” UP officials said in the report. “Some coal trains continue to move via detour routes.”

Meanwhile, in the Colorado/Utah region last month, UP loaded 214 coal trains vs. 209 in July 2010. The railroad met 88.4 percent of NCTA demand, according to the report.