Trains / Rail Cars

Fact: In the U.S. for 2005 Coal was the top commodity shipped over rail (40.7%).

Kentucky has over 2,640 miles of railroad lines. Over 69 million tons of Kentucky coal were transported over these lines in 2005.  There are five Class I railroads (CSX Transportation being the largest), one regional railroad, and seven short line railroads that operate totally in Kentucky or originate coal in Kentucky.  These railroads, along with privately owned cars of electric power companies, have over 71,380 hopper cars dedicated to the transport of coal.

Kentucky has approximately 108 coal rail loading facilities.  Almost all (90+%) rail shipment of Kentucky coal move by unit train service.  In 2005, Coal accounted for 75% of the total tonnage of freight traffic in Kentucky.

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	CSX Transportation Rail cars being loaded and ready for shipment. Photo date: Sept 10, 2003 Whitley Co., Kentucky Photos provided by Eric King
	CSX Transportation - Appalachian Fuels Loadout, Coal Run, Pike Co., Kentucky. Photo Date: October 22, 2007 Photos provided by David Price All Photos - Copyright David Price
	CSX Transportation - (Left to Right) Photo #1 - Pool Point, Elkhorn City, Pike Co., Kentucky Date: May 18, 2007 Photo #2 - Potters Flat, Elkhorn City, Pike Co. Kentucky Date: January 31, 2007 Photos provided by David Price All Photos - Copyright David Price
	CSX Transportation - (Left to Right) Photo #1 - Totz Tipple, Totz, Harlan Co., Kentucky Date: April 10, 1993 Photo #2 - Totz Tipple, Totz, Harlan Co., Kentucky Date: April 30, 2007 Photos provided by Ron Flanary All Photos - Copyright Ron Flanary
	CSX Transportation - Shelby, Kentucky Date: March 2006 Photo provided by Ron Flanary Photo - Copyright Ron Flanary
	CSX Transportation - (Left to Right) Photo #1 - Glidden, Harlan Co., Kentucky Date: September 3, 2007 Photo #2 - Loyall, Harlan Co., Kentucky Date: September 3, 2007 Photos provided by Ron Flanary All Photos - Copyright Ron Flanary