Rail Freight Forecast: Coal Volumes Set for SHOCKING Q4 Uptick?
FreightWaves expert Dr. David Correll shares insights from Telegraph’s latest Market Consist Report, forecasting a surprising Q4 uptick in coal volumes driven by export opportunities. Get a 6-month outlook on freight rail service, intermodal volumes, and the impact of policy changes like the DOT-111 tank car phase-out. Discover how global energy prices and the data […] The post Rail Freight…
Coal shipments in the United States are expected to see a modest increase in the fourth quarter, according to a recent report by FreightWaves. The forecast comes as export opportunities in the country continue to drive demand for the commodity. Analysts point to the slowing retirements of coal-fired power plants and the rise of data centers, which are increasing domestic electricity demand, as contributing factors to the uptick in coal volumes.
Despite the small growth projection, the reversal in coal's long-term decline in rail share is a significant development. The report also highlights a potential bottleneck in the supply of tank cars, with the DOT-111 tank car phase-out accelerating due to congressional action. This could affect the availability of tank cars used for transporting plastics, chemicals, and petrochemicals.
Overall, the freight rail industry is projected to remain bullish, driven by data center construction, general shipper optimism, ongoing tariff activity, and global energy price dynamics.
Written by urgent.news from FreightWaves's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
