US railroads have become increasingly flexible as they negotiate new spot and term transportation deals, but their level of flexibility is not consistent. The railroads are aggressive on rates to preserve Central Appalachian thermal coal export shipments, but they are making little effort to protect uneconomic domestic moves from the basin. In the west, Powder River basin (PRB) domestic shipments that can displace natural gas are getting more flexibility than the burgeoning export market for that coal.
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