BNSF Idles Locomotives in Wyoming

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad officials say they are keeping about 150 locomotives and rail engines stored near Gillette because of decreased demand.

BNSF spokesman Matt Jones says the rail engines and two sets of box cars remain at the railroad's yard in the Donkey Creek area because of a downturn in rail shipping.

The problems can be attributed to the decline in the coal sector. The passage of the federal Clean Power Plan has pushed power plants away from coal and toward natural gas.

The impact can be seen in the Powder River Basin, as nearby coal companies Alpha Natural Resources and Arch Coal have filed for bankruptcy.

Jones says the declining demand for transportation has hit several sectors, not just coal.