(The following article by Stacie Hamel was posted on the Omaha World-Herald website on July 6.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Reduced rail shipments of coal from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin will continue through November and possibly into next year as repairs continue to a line shared by the nation’s two largest railroads.
Shipments have been slowed since record rain and snow weakened the track bed, leading to derailments May 14 and 15.
BNSF Railway Co. and Omaha-based Union Pacific Railroad share the line. BNSF is responsible for maintaining it and plans extensive work to lift the track and replace ballast, or rock around railroad ties, where coal dust has accumulated.
U.P. told customers in an update posted to its Web site that it would allocate the coal it moves at about 80 percent to 85 percent of demand in July. In June, U.P. met 82.15 percent of demand.
The railroad advised utilities and industrial customers to conserve coal until repairs are completed or suspended for the winter.
Based on BNSF’s repair plan, U.P. said it expects an average of 60 trains per day to move on the joint line in July, with U.P.’s share averaging 31 to 32 trains per day. In June, an average of 58.5 trains per day operated, with U.P. moving an average of 31 per day, four fewer than were moving per day before the derailments.
BNSF shipments have been less affected because it has sole use of another route out of the basin.