BNSF
Seattle-based Darigold, the marketing and processing arm of the Northwest Dairy Association, recently teamed with BNSF’s Certified Site program to open a facility at the 150-acre Reimann Industrial Center in Pasco, Wash.
“Serving as a robust economic development engine for Franklin County and the Pacific Northwest,” Reinmann Center is one of BNSF’s 36 Certified Sites located in key distribution hubs across the U.S. and Canada, according to the railroad.
“BNSF has eliminated the administrative hassle and red tape associated with the initial phases of site scouting, logistics and planning,” it reported in the Rail Talk section of its website. “This means businesses can save six to nine months of construction time to significantly accelerate operating capacity, speed to market and supply chain efficiency from day one.”
“It has been a big positive for Darigold to partner with BNSF throughout both the construction and now operation of our new facility in Pasco,” said Sam Naffziger, Senior Manager, Transportation Optimization at Darigold. “The Certified Site solution provided a strong foundation for the project, and BNSF’s support has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and efficient startup. We truly value the partnership and the benefits it continues to provide.”
According to BNSF, the new plant will process up to 8 million pounds of milk per day from more than 100 regional farms, producing butter and powdered milk products for customers across the U.S. and in some 30 countries worldwide.
Located within the multimodal Port of Pasco, the Reimann Industrial Center also helps accelerate delivery timelines, while simultaneously reducing emissions, including road miles, the railroad noted.
Meanwhile, BNSF recently reported via social media that it has closed its 7,000th highway/rail grade crossing networkwide. The milestone crossing on McKinley Street in Corona, Calif., sits alongside the railroad’s busy Southern Transcon route. According to BNSF, it “was once one of the area’s most challenging for collisions and trespassing.”
“Now that the bridge is operational, drivers save hours of wait time every day,” BNSF quoted Jim Steiner, former Corona Mayor and now Council Member, as saying. “Train horns at the intersection are a thing of the past, and traffic on McKinley Street is moving more smoothly.”
NS
NS on Dec. 12 reported that its Safety Train, part of the railroad’s Operation & Awareness Response program, marked its 10th year of service in 2025, making 16 stops from March to November.
According to NS, the Operations & Awareness Response program provided training to more than 5,800 first responders throughout its network this year. The Safety Train offered free training to first responders, “equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to respond to rail-related emergencies through hands-on instruction.”
Such training strengthens readiness, allowing first responders to gain “practical skills for rail-specific emergencies”; builds trust, reinforcing partnerships with local agencies; expands knowledge, allowing trainees to learn how rail equipment works and how to access critical information during an incident; and improves safety outcomes, as “better understanding leads to faster, safer responses when minutes count,” NS reported.
The Safety Train includes a mix of boxcar classrooms and specialized tank cars. According to NS, educational sessions cover:
- Safety practices around railroad equipment and tracks.
- How tank car valves and fittings work.
- Strategies and tactics for responding to rail emergencies.
- How to access information about railcar contents.
“Norfolk Southern deeply values the relationships we have built with first responders across our network over the last decade,” NS Director Hazardous Materials Robert Wood said. “We are proud to work alongside them and are grateful for their partnership in keeping our railroad and communities safe.”
