The coal most analogous to the metallurgical coal consumed at U.S. coke plants is U.S. metallurgical coal exports, and even in that case domestic consumers on average pay a higher price (Figure 3, Table II). This is possibly because coal for export is awarded a better rail rate to the port than is coal to domestic consumers. Considering that most metallurgical coal for export is shipped from Central Appalachia to Hampton or Newport News, Virginia—an average distance of roughly 500 miles—many U.S. coke plant operators may be paying either a higher rate per ton or a higher rate per ton-mile. Based on the data in Table II, the railroads received an average of $3.30 more per ton between January 1990 and June 1995 for metallurgical coal delivered to domestic coke plants than to deepwater ports.

Although there are too few coke plants in the Mountain and the South Atlantic Census Divisions to allow disclosure, it appears from Table III that customers in the East South Central Division (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky) and the East North Central Division (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin) pay an additional premium for their metallurgical coal shipments. Both regions pay more than a dollar per ton over the national average on their receipts.