HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The quarterly earnings period has been, for the most part, positive for companies with ties to Hutchinson and Reno County. BNSF kept that trend going Monday with a very strong fourth quarter.

The nation’s second-largest railroad and second-highest property tax payer in Reno County saw fourth quarter revenue jump by 6 percent over 2016 to $5.6 billion.

For the fiscal year 2017, the railroad increased revenue by more than 8 percent to $21.3 billion.

The railroad still saw a continued decrease in coal volume due to warm weather and the continued decrease in coal-fired generation facilities. It’s a trend that will continue as low natural gas prices and the push for renewable energy moves ahead. Despite the decline in the fourth quarter, the railroad still had an overall increase in coal shipments for the year at 1.8 million car loads.

BNSF also saw a 3 percent decrease in agriculture shipments in the quarter with car loadings remaining flat for 2017.