HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Lower carloads and less demand for coal and oil dug into BNSF first quarter 
numbers.
The nation’s second largest railroad posted first quarter income of $1.5 billion, a decrease of $389 million from the previous year. Total revenue was down 15 percent compared with the 2015. While the railroads intermodal traffic increased from the same time last year carloads of coal, oil and certain industrial products fell forcing total carload volumes to fall by 33 percent.
Lower fuel prices and a large number of furloughs did lower the railroads operating expenses by more than 12 percent.
Kroger is the next next major company with ties to Hutchinson to report its quarterly earnings when they release their Q1 results next month.