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Union Pacific Railroad isn’t the only Class I that set a coal loading record in the Powder River Basin (PRB) last month. BNSF Railway Co. loaded an average of 54.1 coal trains in the basin, breaking the previous record of 52.4 trains set in September 2007 and besting the 50.4-train average achieved in November 2006.

BNSF attributes the high volume to favorable weather conditions and cooperation among the railroad, mines and utilities to load, unload and move trains promptly.

The Class I’s average daily PRB loadings in November, September and October now rank first, second and fourth, respectively, among all-time monthly loading marks. December 2006 still stands as the third-best month.

Through Nov. 30 in the PRB, BNSF loaded a daily average of 50.2 trains, up about 1.4 percent compared with volume through 2006’s first 11 months. Systemwide through Nov. 30, the Class I loaded 266.5 million tons of coal, up 1.8 percent year over year.