December’s atmospheric river storms brought a serious test to BNSF’s Pacific Northwest network. More than 17 inches of rain fell in parts of the Cascade Range, which swelled rivers to record levels and flooded sections of track across western Washington. Four subdivisions on the Northwest Division were affected, including one with severe washouts and ballast collapse.
Our teams worked through relentless rain, cold conditions, and widespread power outages to restore service during the height of the holiday shipping season. Despite the disruptions, BNSF delivered a “perfect peak” by moving more than 80 million packages on time while bringing critical rail lines back into service!
“This truly was a historic weather event that presented a significant number of challenges to the BNSF crews in the field,” said General Manager, Northwest Division Edmundo Rodriguez. “I’m impressed with their perseverance and resiliency to overcome those challenges and complete the task of safely restoring service to our customers.”
