BNSF
BNSF General Director of Marketing Mark Ganaway recently joined officials from TXNW Railway (Texas North Western Railway Company), one of the Class I’s first Shortline Select partners, for a ribbon-cutting event. They were celebrating the expansion of interchange tracks in Sunray, Tex., according to BNSF’s Sept. 5 social media post.
The interchange project, completed in July, was funded through a 50/50 cost share between TXNW Railway and the Federal Railroad Administration, which awarded the short line $4.1 million through its Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The project involved rebuilding and expanding the Etter rail Interchange to improve rail safety, enhance fluidity, and increase capacity for rail shipments in Moore County and the surrounding areas, according to TXNW Railway. The infrastructure upgrades included modernizing the railroad crossing at Birch Avenue, installing multiple power switches and turnouts, and extending two interchange tracks to 8,500 feet.
“This project is the ideal example of how public-private partnership should work,” TNW CEO Paul Treangen said at the ribbon-cutting event, which was also attended by representatives from local and regional political offices, including staff from the office of U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tex.), as well as leaders from TrinityRail. “It is the result of policy that encourages private infrastructure investment that creates significant, long-term public benefit. Competitive, multi-modal, freight transportation is essential to our economy. Short line railroads provide first and last mile service and are critical to that network.” Treangen credited the success of the CRISI grant in part to “ongoing support by Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.); U.S Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.); the Texas Department of Transportation; officials from Moore County and the cities of Dumas, Sunray, and Cactus; plus customers TrinityRail, Valero Marketing and Supply, Continental Carbon, Bunge, Nutrien Ag Solutions, and BNSF.”
“BNSF’s Shortline Select program allows short line railroads to share our enduring commitment to growth and service by providing expanded opportunities for customers to reach an even broader consumer base,” BNSF reported in its social media post. “The program also combines the benefit of short line customized service with our vast network reach. BNSF looks forward to continuing this strong partnership for years to come.”
Among the other short lines in the program are: Burlington Junction Railway and Genesee & Wyoming’s Portland & Western Railroad and Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway.
UP
UP has recognized Tehachapi, Calif., as the 134th community on its network to be named a “Train Town USA,” which it described as “a national recognition that underscores the city’s profound connection to railroading.”
“Tehachapi remains a vital artery in the country’s rail network,” UP Senior Director-Public Affairs Peggy Ygbuhay said during the railroad’s Sept. 5 announcement. “The town has an enduring legacy in American railroading history.”
Located just south of the Sequoia National Forest and just north of Los Angeles, UP said that Tehachapi is home to a railroad engineering marvel: the Tehachapi Loop. “The 0.73-mile section of track literally forms a circular loop, allowing the track to rise at a steady 2% grade,” according to the Class I railroad. “With a tunnel at the base of the loop and another track that passes above it at the other end, any train longer than 4,000 feet will pass over itself—an engineering feat and a rare sight to see.”
Designated a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1998, the Tehachapi Loop will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026.
