BNSF
BNSF has been addressing “multiple service challenges” along its Southern Transcon route, which runs between Southern California and the Midwest, due to widespread severe thunderstorms, the Class I reported in a July 18 customer notification. Trains experienced delays on July 16 due to flash flood warnings for more than 250 miles of the Transcon as storms moved through the region, from the Southwest across the Plains to the Upper Midwest. Eastern Kansas, particularly the Kansas City area, BNSF noted, “experienced the most severe impacts of the storm.” The flood warnings expired July 17, and the water receded, it said.
According to the railroad’s notification, its operating teams are focused on restoring service and fluidity on the Transcon, deploying additional locomotives and resources to affected locations. As a result, BNSF anticipated improvements in train velocity in the region.
“Despite facing weather challenges, we have seen slight improvements in our overall service performance metrics,” BNSF reported (see table, top). “Average car velocity has increased compared to last week [week of July 13], although it remains slightly lower than the average from the previous month. Terminal dwell times have also improved by nearly 2% compared to last week, and the average is also lower than it was in June. However, our local service compliance measure has declined compared to both the previous week and the previous month.”
In related news, June was a record month for dwell at the Southern California ports, BNSF reported recently. Also, the Class I has launched expedited third-day rail service from Los Angeles to Houston, Tex.
UP
UP on July 17 congratulated Bartlett, a Savage Company, on its first unit train at the new Graneleras Bartlett Monterrey Facility in Mexico. “Bartlett is a leading U.S. exporter of grain to Mexico, and we’re happy to support rail shipments to their new facility,” UP reported via social media. Savage shared the UP post with its online followers, thanking the railroad for its “ongoing partnership and support.”
Bartlett last fall officially opened a soybean processing plant in Cherryvale, Kans., which is served by Watco’s South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, Railway Age’s 2022 Regional of the Year. Watco counts Bartlett Grain as one of its first customers.
