UP
UP reported via social media that its Livonia, La., locomotive team recently reached one-year of injury-free service, due to “a culture of mentorship, open communication and a commitment to the why behind each safety protocol.”
“Safety is what’s expected and that mindset is contagious,” UP quoted Manager-Mechanical Operations Daniel Sherlin as saying, “Our crew won’t accept anything that’s unsafe.”
Separately, the Class I’s Engineering team in Las Vegas (pictured above) has celebrated 25 years of injury-free work.
BNSF
BNSF Locomotive Engineer Dane Sargent and Conductor Kolic Edwards on Dec. 31 delivered the first load to its new intermodal ramp in Oklahoma City (pictured above). Included was freight from customer Hobby Lobby.
The new 42-acre facility, announced in September, was a result of BNSF’s partnership with the retailer. Hobby Lobby, the railroad said via social media, “was looking for more efficient movement of its loaded containers from the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach to the network of Hobby Lobby distribution centers in OKC.”
Other business, such as Oklahoma farmers, will also be able to use the facility for export to the West Coast, according to BNSF.
“Expanding into this new rail market is a great example of us listening to our customers’ needs and looking for ways to provide solutions that will spur shared growth opportunities across the region,” BNSF Group Vice President of Consumer Products Jon Gabriel said in September. “We are excited to offer this unique solution to Hobby Lobby, which creates a much more effective supply chain and at full potential could eliminate up to 40,000 truck moves off the highway each year.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for Hobby Lobby to partner with the BNSF,” Hobby Lobby Chief Financial Officer Jon Cargill commented in September. “As we grow our business, more efficient movement of product will allow us to continue to offer the great value our customers have come to expect.”
BNSF also has an automotive facility in Oklahoma City.
Further Reading:
- Hillwood, BNSF, and Fort Worth Launch Alliance Logistics District
- Cicero Intermodal Expansion Delivers Capacity, Sustainability and Customer Value
- BNSF, CSX Offering More, ‘Faster’ Coast-to-Coast Service
- BNSF Opens Logistics Center in North Houston
NS
“For survivors of human trafficking, economic stability is a key pillar to recovery,” NS wrote Jan. 7 on the Story Yard section of its website. The railroad recently supported that pillar through a $10,000 Thriving Communities grant to Wellspring Living, an Atlanta-based nonprofit serving human trafficking survivors and those at risk. The grant benefited Wellspring Living’s 2025 Women’s Academy, which offers career readiness training, according to NS.
The funding provided six Women’s Academy participants with stipends to help cover transportation and other essential needs, which NS said were “practical barriers that often prevent consistent participation in workforce training.” Through this support, all six women completed the training, “gaining confidence, stability, and momentum as they work toward sustainable employment,” according to the railroad.
“Survivors and those at risk deserve pathways to economic stability that eliminate barriers to opportunity,” said Andrea Hipwell, Senior Director of Adult Services, Wellspring Living Women’s Academy Career Development Manager. “With Norfolk Southern’s financial support, Wellspring Living helps ensure that the people we serve can prioritize education and workforce development without the stress of unmet basic needs.”
“Wellspring Living understands that healing happens when women have practical tools and meaningful opportunity, not just short-term support,” added Kristin Wong, Director of Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact. “We’re proud to walk alongside an organization that’s investing in people as they rebuild their lives.”
NS in 2023 donated $400,000 to Wellspring Living’s “Welcome Home Campaign,” which expanded residential and community care for women and children affected by or who are at risk of sexual exploitation.
Separately, NS’s SD70IAC 1230 and 1231 (the Birmingham and the Atlanta) made their official debut in November, pulling business cars for an event for Hope Atlanta, an NS-supported organization that works to serve people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
(Courtesy of NS)
