HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Union Pacific and BNSF Railway are starting to dig out from the economic downturn that caused the nation’s two largest railroads to make deep cuts in employees and working equipment.

BNSF, the third largest property taxpayer in Reno County and Union Pacific, the fourth, both saw carload increases due to more lax regulations on the coal industry, thus bumping up shipments from the Wyoming coal fields.

According to figures released by Market Realist, Union Pacific’s carloads, excluding coal and coke, jumped 2.9 percent in the 26th week of 2017. The company moved ~74,500 railcars, excluding coal, compared with 72,500 railcars in the same week last year

Berkshire Hathaway’s BNSF Railway’s overall railcars, excluding intermodal, grew 4.8 percent. The company hauled ~100,000 railcars that week, compared with 95,000 railcars in the 26th week of 2016.

The growth in the company’s overall railcars was fueled by the growth in BNSF’s coal and coke railcars. Railcars, excluding coal and coke, jumped 3.5 percent, and the company moved 62,000 railcars excluding coal, compared with 60,000 railcars in the week ending on July 2, 2016.

Both railroads are expected to post strong earnings when they release their quarterly reports later this month.