NS
NS in early August hosted a two-day RailCAST summit at its McDonough, Ga., training facility, bringing together representatives from U.S. and Canadian Class I railroads and federal regulatory agencies, as well as labor leaders.
“RailCAST, an initiative launched in collaboration with the Association of American Railroads, serves as a forum for industry experts to explore advancements in wayside signal technology,” NS reported Aug. 15. “This coalition focuses on enhancing safety inspections and supporting the growth of freight business both domestically and internationally.”
Rather than advancing technology at an individual railroad based on its needs, RailCAST “leverages the knowledge base of industry experts to drive alignment and speed to market with new technology” and allows all stakeholders to “drive technology through learning and collaboration,” according to NS.
The first day of the summit featured a tour of the NS training center and Digital Train Inspection Portal (DTI) in nearby Jackson, Ga. NS earlier this year deployed the DTI here; approximately 19 trains pass through daily. Its first portal launched last October. Both feature Machine Vision Inspection technology developed in partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which engineered the hardware, and NS’s Data Science/Artificial Intelligence and Mechanical teams.
The summit’s second day included discussions on such topics as data-driven condition-based maintenance for railcars, wheel temperature and brake health, Canadian inspection portals, and process controls, according to NS.
“Through RailCAST, we are bringing together critical stakeholders who are united by a shared dedication to safety,” NS Chief Mechanical Officer Jamie Williams said. “NS is proud to facilitate this crucial dialogue, which is essential for advancing safe, reliable, and resilient rail service.”
In other NS news, the railroad and the American Train Dispatchers Association, in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, announced Aug. 6 their joint participation in the Confidential Close Call Reporting System pilot program, which is designed to “enhance communication and transparency to help improve railroad safety.” Also, NS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer joined Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono at the recent 2024 Rail Insights Conference for a wide-ranging discussion on the changes that have been under way at the Class I railroad. Listen to the Rail Group on Air Podcast to learn about the railroad’s accomplishments and the work that needs to be done now that the dust has settled following the hard-fought proxy battle with Ancora Holdings.
BNSF
Despite high volumes on BNSF’s Southern Transcon, the teams at its Hobart and Fresno facilities in California “continue to model the way when it comes to safety,” according to the Class I railroad. Both teams have achieved injury-free safety streaks of more than 1,000 days, BNSF reported Aug. 14 on the Rail Talk section of its website.
The 300-plus-member team at the Hobart Intermodal facility in Los Angeles performs more than 1 million lifts per year. The Fresno terminal’s 110 team members serve approximately 40 customers across the Central Valley, handling some 30,000 cars annually.
“Relationship building is everything to us,” said Tim Coleman, Superintendent of Safety and Operating Practices in BNSF’s California Division. “We simply cannot achieve our goals of safe and injury-free production without relationships. Having people know you truly care about them as an individual, as a human and more than just an employee—that’s what creates a mutually respected and empowering safety culture.”
Because of these relationships and the team’s safety focus, the California Division remained this year’s top division for safety performance through July, according to BNSF.
“I’m proud of the division’s safety performance this year to set the example that you can work both safely and efficiently,” said Rich Dennison, General Manager of BNSF’s California Division. “It starts and ends with us. This is our motto; we are the beginning and end of the Southern Transcon. Everything we do starts and ends in California, including our safety.”
In related developments, BNSF reported completing a “record year” for workplace safety in 2023, with the lowest injury frequency rate in the company’s 175-year history. Also, earlier this year, the railroad announced that the Memphis, Tenn.; intermodal facility, San Diego, Calif., yard, Murray Yard in North Kansas City, Mo.; Springfield, Mo., yard; and Victorville, Calif., yard celebrated safety records, as did the San Bernardino, Calif., intermodal facility team and the Ottumwa, Iowa, maintenance-of-way team.
Meanwhile, BNSF in an Aug. 15 social media post reported that its dimensional clearance team’s efforts were recognized by the Railroad Industrial Clearance Association with the Rail Carrier of the Year award. This is the team’s fourth win.
“There’s no easy path to excellence, and the BNSF dimensional clearance team knows that well,” the Class I reported on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Between juggling customer questions and concerns and planning routes for oversized freight movements safely and efficiently, the team is continually working to provide an exceptional experience for our customers. Thank you to the dimensional clearance team, and all who’ve supported the team, for your dedication to safety and service!”
