Mountaineer State a Vital Link in North American Rail Network
Although domestic coal consumption has waned, the Mountaineer State remains a “railroad state.” As intermodal shipments and traffic in other energy products pick up steam, West Virginia is looking to a more diversified freight mix to revive rail traffic and boost the economy.
West Virginia’s ten freight railroads operate over 2,098 miles of track and employ 1,591 in the Mountain State.* It would have taken approximately 7.42 million additional trucks to handle the 133.6 million tons of freight that started, ended, or moved through West Virginia in 2023. Moving freight by rail prevented 3.75 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 735,000 cars off the road or planting 56.8 million trees. Coal makes up the majority of freight rail shipments beginning and ending in West Virginia.
*2023 data
