THE UNIT TRAIN AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW SULFUR COAL RESOURCES IN THE WESTERN INTERIOR REGION

The ten-fold increase in coal production in Western states in less than two decades has been marked by unit-train haulage within and to points outside the states that mine the coal. The present and future patterns of development, both for mining and transportation, are discussed. A table details unit train operations. Estimates of future operations of such trains depend on coal demand, resource selection options, environmental protection constraints, and alternative transportation methods.