UNITED STATES
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.

                                SCHEDULE 13G


                 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                            (AMENDMENT _____)(1)


                              ARCH COAL, INC.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (Name of Issuer)

                                COMMON STOCK
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 039380100
                     ----------------------------------
                               (CUSIP Number)

                               MARCH 25, 2004
                     ----------------------------------
          (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:
                  |_|      Rule 13d-1(b)
                  |X|      Rule 13d-1(c)
                  |_|      Rule 13d-1(d)

(1)The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act") or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other
provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).



                                SCHEDULE 13G
- ----------------------------------               ------------------------------
CUSIP No.     039380100                            Page   2   of   11  Pages
            -------------                                ---      ----
- ----------------------------------               ------------------------------

    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
       1     NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
             /I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
                  Appaloosa Investment limited partnership I
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
       2     CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*  (a)  |_|
                                                                (b)  |_|

    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 3 SEC USE ONLY
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
       4     CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  delaware
    -------------------- ------- ----------------------------------------------
                           5     SOLE VOTING POWER

         NUMBER OF
                                 -0-
          SHARES
                         ------- ----------------------------------------------
                           6     SHARED VOTING POWER
       BENEFICIALLY
                                 1,519,051
         OWNED BY
                         ------- ----------------------------------------------
           EACH            7     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

         REPORTING
                                 -0-
          PERSON
                         ------- ----------------------------------------------
                           8     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
           WITH
                                 1,519,051
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
       9     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                  1,519,051
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
      10     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
             CERTAIN SHARES*                                    |_|

    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
      11     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
                                      2.8%
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
      12     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
                                       PN
    -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------


SCHEDULE 13G - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ CUSIP No. 039380100 Page 3 of 11 Pages ------------- --- ---- - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON /I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON palomino fund ltd. -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |_| (b) |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION british virgin islands -------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF -0- SHARES ------- ---------------------------------------------- 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 1,330,949 OWNED BY ------- ---------------------------------------------- EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING -0- PERSON ------- ---------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 1,330,949 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,330,949 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 2.5% -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* CO -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------

SCHEDULE 13G - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ CUSIP No. 039380100 Page 4 of 11 Pages ------------- --- ---- - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON /I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Appaloosa management l.p. -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |_| (b) |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION delaware -------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF -0- SHARES ------- ---------------------------------------------- 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 2,850,000 OWNED BY ------- ---------------------------------------------- EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON -0- ------- ---------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------

SCHEDULE 13G - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ CUSIP No. 039380100 Page 5 of 11 Pages ------------- --- ---- - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON /I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Appaloosa partners Inc. -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |_| (b) |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION delaware -------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF -0- SHARES ------- ---------------------------------------------- 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 2,850,000 OWNED BY ------- ---------------------------------------------- EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING -0- PERSON ------- ---------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* co -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------

SCHEDULE 13G - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ CUSIP No. 039380100 Page 6 of 11 Pages ------------- --- ---- - ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON /I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON David A. Tepper -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |_| (b) |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION UNITED STATES -------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF -0- SHARES ------- ---------------------------------------------- 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 2,850,000 OWNED BY ------- ---------------------------------------------- EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING -0- PERSON ------- ---------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,850,000 -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IN -------- ------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 1. (a) NAME OF ISSUER: Arch Coal, Inc. (b) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES: One City Place Drive Suite 300 St. Louis, MO 63141 Item 2. (a) NAME OF PERSON FILING: This Statement is being filed by and on behalf of Appaloosa Investment Limited Partnership I ("AILP"), Palomino Fund Ltd. ("Palomino"), Appaloosa Management L.P. ("AMLP"), Appaloosa Partners Inc. ("API") and David A. Tepper ("Mr. Tepper" and, together with AILP, Palomino, AMLP and API, the "Reporting Persons"). Mr. Tepper is the sole stockholder and the President of API. API is the general partner of, and Mr. Tepper owns a majority of the limited partnership interests in, AMLP. AMLP is the general partner of AILP and acts as investment adviser to Palomino. (b) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE: The business address of each of the Reporting Persons is c/o Appaloosa Management L.P., 26 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 07928. (c) CITIZENSHIP: AILP is a Delaware limited partnership. Palomino is a British Virgin Islands corporation. AMLP is a Delaware limited partnership. API is a Delaware corporation. Mr. Tepper is a citizen of the United States. (d) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES: Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share. (e) CUSIP NUMBER: 039380100

Item 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13d-1(b), OR 13-2(b), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A: (a) [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o); (b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c); (c) [ ] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c); (d) [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-8); (e) [ ] An investment advisor in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); (i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3); (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H) If this statement is filed pursuant to ss. 240.13d-1(c), check this box. |X| Item 4. OWNERSHIP: The percentages set forth in this Item 4 are based on there being 53,950,004 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 1, 2004 as disclosed in Arch Coal, Inc.'s Form 10-K filed on March 8, 2004 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003. AILP ---- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: 1,519,051 (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 2.8% (c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: -0- (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 1,519,051 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: -0- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 1,519,051 Palomino -------- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: 1,330,949 (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 2.5% (c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: -0- (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 1,330,949 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: -0- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 1,330,949 AMLP ---- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: 2,850,000 (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 5.3% (c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: -0- (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 2,850,000 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: -0- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 2,850,000 API --- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: 2,850,000 (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 5.3% (c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: -0- (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 2,850,000 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: -0- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 2,850,000 David A. Tepper --------------- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: 2,850,000 (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 5.3% (c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: -0- (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 2,850,000 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: -0- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 2,850,000 Item 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS: If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: |_| Item 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON: Not applicable. Item 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY: Not applicable. Item 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP: Not applicable. Item 9. NOTICES OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP: Not applicable. Item 10. CERTIFICATION: By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

SIGNATURE PAGE -------------- After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: April 1, 2004 APPALOOSA INVESTMENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP I By: APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P., Its General Partner By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President PALOMINO FUND LTD. By: APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P., Its Investment Adviser By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P. By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC. By: /s/ David A. Tepper ----------------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------------------- David A. Tepper

EXHIBIT A --------- JOINT FILING AGREEMENT ---------------------- The undersigned agree that the foregoing Statement on Schedule 13G (including any and all amendments thereto) is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of each of the undersigned pursuant to Rule 13d-1(k) under the Act and further agree that this Joint Filing Agreement be included as an Exhibit to such joint filings. Dated: April 1, 2004 APPALOOSA INVESTMENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP I By: APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P., Its General Partner By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President PALOMINO FUND LTD. By: APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P., Its Investment Adviser By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President APPALOOSA MANAGEMENT L.P. By: APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC., Its General Partner By: /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President APPALOOSA PARTNERS INC. By: /s/ David A. Tepper ----------------------------------------- Name: David A. Tepper Title: President /s/ David A. Tepper ------------------------------------------- David A. Tepper