Going above and beyond on railroad infrastructure

The key to the longevity of any structure is proper maintenance and repair, which is why we invest a high percentage of our capital to maintain and expand our infrastructure, including bridges and tracks.

BNSF inspects its track more frequently than required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to ensure they are safe. Most key routes on BNSF are inspected up to four times per week, more than twice the inspection frequency required by the FRA, and our busiest main lines can be inspected daily. BNSF also has special detection technology along key routes on our network sending back thousands of messages daily as they monitor for early signs of potential problems that could cause premature equipment wear or failure. Detecting such defects early has improved safety and extended the service life of equipment.

The railroad industry overall invests a higher percentage of revenue maintaining infrastructure than any other industry. In 2015, we are spending $2.9 million across our network to replace and maintain our infrastructure. Bridge inspections are one example of these investments.

There are 13,000 bridges on BNSF’s network. BNSF employs trained inspectors, including structural engineers and specialized contractors, to conduct the highly technical and complex undertaking that is assessing a bridge’s structural integrity. Investment in our infrastructure includes major capital projects such as the work that is under way on our bridge over the Washougal River. The FRA is able to review all records and inspect BNSF structures.

BNSF is committed to investments that continue rail transport’s legacy as an efficient, safe, and environmentally beneficial means of moving freight.

Setting the record straight on coal dust

There is quite a bit of misinformation about coal trains. BNSF has safely transported coal through Washington for decades, and during all of this time, coal dust has not been an issue in areas other than the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana where the coal trains originate.

And since 2005, BNSF has been on the forefront of extensive research regarding the impacts of coal dust and developing effective methods of addressing coal dust. The coal-loading rule we have implemented at the PRB mines, which is based on our research, testing and operating practices, effectively addresses coal dust.

Before any measures were adopted to control coal dust, BNSF estimated that as much as 500 pounds of coal dust per car could be lost in areas near coal mines in Wyoming and Montana. Opponents to coal like to misuse this estimate and take it way out of context.

The key to this estimate is putting it into context. First, it is just that – a very rough estimate made on untreated coal cars in the PRB at the very beginning of their movement, not elsewhere along our rail line. Second, these estimates were made nearly a decade ago when we first started studying coal dust, before we issued our coal-loading rule and before the mines began taking any measures to prevent coal dust losses. Third, and most importantly, all of our research and experience has shown coal dust to be an issue near mine-loading points in the PRB – not nearly a thousand miles away in Washington.

As part of their campaign against coal, several opposition groups have misconstrued facts related to how railroads transport this commodity. For example, there have been claims about coal dust escaping from railcars that are simply not supported by any data in the research that has been done. It has been asserted that trains carrying coal lose one pound of coal dust for every mile traveled, including areas far from the PRB. There is no data to support this claim. This claim is also inconsistent with commonsense observations of coal movements through the Northwest for over two decades. If this claim was accurate, we would have heard many complaints about coal dust long before opponents of coal took up the issue as a convenient way to try to block coal transportation.

The simple truth is millions of tons of coal have been hauled through Washington for decades and we are not aware of a single coal dust complaint lodged with a Washington state agency or with the railroad until after the coal export terminals were proposed.

Nothing is more important to us than safely transporting all of the commodities that we carry and ensuring they stay exactly where they belong – in their shipping containers.

Read more about BNSF’s coal dust efforts

Testing rail inspection by UAV

History was made recently when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was launched in New Mexico to inspect BNSF tracks. On its first flight, the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle provided real-time video covering 64 miles of BNSF tracks. ScanEagle also provides 3D renderings and high-resolution video magnification. This information can be fed to track inspectors on the ground to supplement and enhance the railway’s track inspection program.

BNSF worked with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Project Pathfinder – a program to develop regulations for the commercial use of UAVs.

Emergencies – Call 800-832-5452

To report a vehicle stalled on a crossing, suspicious circumstances, malfunctioning crossing gates and lights or any other emergency, call 800-832-5452 immediately.