That result was a positive gain on the 975 trains seen off in January 2010 and 984 loaded trains in December 2010, according to the company’s newly released performance report.

It had 111 missed loading opportunities in the SPRB last month, 15 of which could be attributed to UP.

Of the balance, 25 were related to mines and 71 were attributable to slow unloading at utility plants.

However, the company noted it was able to offset the missed opportunities by picking up 122 extra loadings.

A 49-car coal train derailment occurred in Missouri on February 5, which blocked both main tracks in the area.

The tracks were returned to service two days later.

In the Colorado-Utah region, the company’s other primary area of operation, January coal train loadings totalled 231 compared with 229 in January 2010.

The result was an upward trend for the company, which recorded 220 loadings in December 2010 and 189 trains in November 2010.

UP’s operation area encompasses 23 states in the western two-thirds of the US.

It and Burlington Northern Santa Fe are the two largest shippers for the western coalfields.