Central Appalachian coal

Railroad expert Jim Blaze writes about coal, a key commodity hauled by rail. The amount of coal being hauled by rail is declining. Why? And what does the future hold?

The decline in U.S. coal production could cost the railroads billions in lost revenue.

Blackjewel’s bankruptcy reminds the broader industrial sector of the vulnerability of U.S. coal production overall, particularly so for western U.S. coal production.