Montana Rail Link (MRL) and BNSF-predecessor, Burlington Northern, created a unique lease arrangement in 1987 in which MRL leases and operates the mainline track between Huntley, Montana and Sandpoint, Idaho. BNSF has entered into an agreement with MRL to terminate the existing lease and resume operations and maintenance along this corridor. MRL’s vision was to become…
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The BNSF Railway Foundation invests in the communities across the 28 states through which BNSF operates and where BNSF employees live, work and volunteer. Recent donations include: Supporting Emergency Medical Response in Skamania County The Skamania County Public Hospital District, based in Stevenson, WA, serves Skamania County residents and visitors, providing quality service across its…
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BNSF was the first railroad granted authority by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), better known as drones. From inspecting bridges and flooded tracks to mapping projects, BNSF’s UAS has grown since its initial launch in 2013 and behind the program are expert pilots like Nick Dryer. His official title is…
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The BNSF Railway Foundation invests in the communities across the 28 states through which BNSF operates, and where BNSF employees live, work and volunteer. Recent donations include: Building Strong Communities Throughout the World and Close to Home United Way advances the common good in communities across the world. The organization’s focus is on education, income, and…
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BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight transportation companies and a critical part of the supply chain that moves goods throughout the country. In 2020, BNSF shipped 9.4 million carloads of agricultural, consumer, and industrial goods. Have you ever wondered how BNSF sorts and groups those millions of freight cars? BNSF operates eight…
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Thank you to all who attended the virtual Gorge Rail Summit on October 12! This year’s event featured a keynote address from Washington State Representative Andrew Barkis and presentations from industry experts such as Brett Porter on renewable diesel, Michael Cleveland on battery electric locomotives and yard equipment, Paul Cristina on infrastructure and public projects,…
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The BNSF Railway Foundation invests in the communities across the 28 states through which BNSF operates, and where BNSF employees live, work and volunteer. Recent donations include: Providing grief support in southeast Washington Chaplaincy Health Care is a resource for hospice services, chaplain services and grief support in the mid-Columbia region of southeast Washington. The nonprofit…
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The Sandpoint Junction Connector bridge project is chugging along right on – or ahead of – schedule. To meet the growing needs of the communities BNSF serves, BNSF is building a second rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille adjacent to the existing rail bridge. BNSF is also building new bridges over Sand Creek and Bridge…
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BNSF operates a vast network of 32,500 miles of track in 28 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. Moving goods safely means keeping all of those miles of track and other rail structures like bridges in working order, even in the face of wildfires. To do this, BNSF regularly conducts extensive inspections across its network.…
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We all remember the beginning of COVID shutdowns and empty store shelves last year. Cleaning and disinfecting products were some of the hardest to find. Like most Americans, team BNSF had to change course quickly to secure an adequate supply of those elusive items. Central to BNSF’s pivot was the Technical Research & Development (TR&D)…
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Thanks to a focus on education, enforcement and engineering, the number of train/motor vehicle collisions in the U.S. has fallen 84 percent – from a 1972 high of about 12,000 annual incidents to approximately 1,900 in 2020. But there are still too many incidents. In the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a…
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The Sandpoint Junction Connector bridge project (SJC) has been a boon to the regional economy around Sandpoint, Idaho. When complete, the SJC bridge project will double the track on BNSF’s existing line by constructing a second rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille and adding new bridges over busy Sandpoint streets. These upgrades will reduce congestion…
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The BNSF Railway Foundation invests in the communities across the 28 states through which BNSF operates, and where BNSF employees live, work and volunteer. Recent donations include: Building Places for Safe and Fun Play Valley View Elementary School in Bonners Ferry, ID values academic and behavioral excellence and play! Increased physical activity during the school…
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Forbes recently released their list of best employers for women, and BNSF Railway ranks in the top ten of American employers. BNSF has demonstrated support for female talent through several programs. For example, because the railroad was on the front lines of the pandemic delivering critical supplies, work demand and shift schedules created challenges for…
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Construction of the new BNSF railroad bridge across Lake Pend Oreille is proceeding on schedule. Pile driving has been substantially completed over the lake, and construction crews are starting to install pier caps and bridge girders. During these last summer days, BNSF reminds boaters and recreationists to avoid the construction area and provide a wide…
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