BNSF
“As we enter fall harvest and approach peak holiday shipping for intermodal, BNSF operating teams remain focused on maintaining positive performance momentum and delivering consistent service,” the Class I railroad wrote in a Sept. 26 online notification to customers. “This week, we moved our first new-crop soybean train out of Montana, kicking off the season.”
For the week ending Sept. 20, the railroad said that overall car velocity was “essentially unchanged” from the prior week and it is nearly 3% higher than the average level for August (see chart, top). Average terminal dwell improved compared with the previous week and month, according to BNSF, which added that the local service compliance metric “remains consistently above 90%.”
“Rail operations are normalizing on our Northern Transcon route following a derailment that occurred on Wednesday night [Sept. 24] in northwestern Minnesota,” the railroad said. “As reported, the incident took place near Dilworth, approximately five miles east of Fargo, N.Dak. Both main tracks were out of service while crews worked at the scene. Thanks to the hard work of BNSF teams, the first main track reopened within 12 hours, and service on the second track was restored last night. “
As part of a capital expansion update for customers, BNSF reported recently completing two major capital projects and advancing another that is designed to improve fluidity and increase capacity.
At the Fort Worth Subdivision in Texas, BNSF finished a multi-year project to double-track an eight-mile segment between Lake Wanda and Bredenberg, just north of downtown Fort Worth. Located between the railroad’s Alliance facilities and Tower 55, this high-traffic corridor connects to the Wichita Falls Subdivision. BNSF said the new double track improves network efficiency and capacity on one of its busiest routes.
This year at BNSF’s Phoenix Subdivision in Arizona, the railroad built a new 10,000-foot siding at Congress and extended the Tucker Siding to 10,000 feet. These improvements, it reported, “help reduce congestion and enable trains to move more efficiently in both directions.” Together, they improve fluidity and velocity for traffic moving to and from Phoenix and connecting with the Southern Transcon.
As part of a multi-year initiative to expand capacity on BNSF’s Needles Subdivision in California, the railroad said it is making progress on installing triple track and signals on an 11-mile segment beginning approximately 50 miles east of Barstow. Expanding capacity on this vital Transcon corridor “supports consistent service and long-term growth,” according to BNSF. This segment is scheduled to enter service next year.
Further Reading:
- BNSF Intermodal: We’re Going Where Markets Are Growing
- BNSF’s Intermodal Container ‘Matchmaking’ Program a Win-Win-Win
- We’ve Got This: BNSF Ready to Support Agricultural Producers for Successful Harvest
- BNSF Leads Rail Industry in Innovation With More Patents Than All Other Class I Railroads Combined
NS
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought historic flooding and unprecedented damage across the Southeast, impacting both communities and critical infrastructure. One year later, NS on Sept. 26 reported that it worked closely with first responders, neighbors, local businesses, and others to restore service safely and reconnect communities.
“Recovery has been a shared effort,” it said. “Together, we’ve worked to restore critical connections that sustain local economies and maintain the flow of commerce that communities depend on.”
In the days immediately following the storm, NS said crews worked around the clock to repair damage, remove debris and get freight moving safely again. They reopened all core routes affected by the storm within 72 hours of landfall, clearing more than 15,000 trees, deploying more than 400 generators, and repairing multiple washouts.
In March, NS and its contractors completed the Newport bridge replacement, which the railroad called “a critical step in restoring rail service in and out of Asheville, N.C., for the first time since the storm.” Built to modern specifications and designed to last at least 100 years, the new rail bridge reconnected a key western portion of the AS Line, which links Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, according to NS. “Its replacement gave the community hope as residents welcomed it as a sign of return to normalcy post-hurricane,” the railroad reported.
NS also provided direct assistance to employees and their families as they navigated the storm’s aftermath while continuing to serve their communities. In addition to the railroad’s annual disaster relief support, it donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross for immediate and long-term recovery needs in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“Hurricane Helene tested the strength of our communities and our railroad, and I’m proud of how we responded,” NS Operating Officer John Orr said. “Our teams, first responders, and local partners worked shoulder to shoulder to restore service safely and support those in need. I’m deeply grateful for the grit and character of our people and the partnerships that helped us come through stronger together.”
“The speedy replacement of the Newport bridge, despite challenging conditions in the wake of the storm, exemplifies the NS team’s commitment to reliability, resilience, and investment in the communities we serve,” noted Ruth Brown, Chief Engineer Bridges and Structures for NS.
