The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “coal, which for the past several years has been facing stiff competition from shale in the power sector, is now having to elbow its way back into the railroad business where it has historically accounted for the largest chunk of tonnage and revenue.”  

“Blame it on the polar vortex. The rail companies do.”  

“The unusually frigid winter reversed the recent trend of falling coal demand as power plants rushed to restock inventories used during the cold spell. Rising natural gas prices this year once again made coal the lowest-cost fuel for many power plants.”