In the third quarter tonnage jumped 6% from 46.84 million tons recorded in the 2007 third quarter. The previous record was set in the second quarter of 2008, when it shipped 49.27Mt.

Norfolk also noted that its transit time had been reduced, with the company showing an 8.8% improvement over the first nine months of this year. The ability to move record tonnage so rapidly is a testament to its “fluid” railway network with expansion potential, according to officials.

Export coal tonnage increased 55% in the third quarter versus the same period of 2007, from 4.05Mt to 6.26Mt.

Shipments from its Baltimore transloading operation were up 128% from 636,000t to 1.45Mt, and tonnage rose 42% at its Pier 6 facility in Virginia to 4.81Mt from 3.38Mt.

“Even at this level, we have the capacity to double current volume, should coal supply and demand support that degree of increased activity," Norfolk chief marketing officer Donald Seale said.

Haulage totals for metallurgical coal, coke and iron ore were also up slightly, Norfolk noted.

Norfolk Southern operates about 21,000 route miles in 22 states as well as the District of Columbia.