(Source: Freight Waves, August 1, 2019)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The bankruptcy of private coal company Blackjewel could result in ripple effects across the freight rail industry. Blackjewel’s bankruptcy reminded the broader industrial sector of the vulnerability of U.S. coal production overall, particularly so for western U.S. coal production. That’s because Blackjewel not only owns Central Appalachian mines but two of the biggest mines in the Powder River Basin (PRB). As a result, one lingering question will be how and if western rail movements will be affected by a possible slow decline in western coal production, just as CSX and Norfolk Southern were affected by declines in Appalachian coal production.
Full story: Freight Waves