How BNSF Solved Big Engineering Challenges

From finding passage through the Rocky Mountains, to building the 7.9-mile Cascade Tunnel, to constructing the Argentine Flyover in Kansas City, BNSF’s engineers have conquered impressive challenges in order to keep trains—and customers’ goods—safely moving. These engineering marvels also played a key role in connecting the country. Without a railroad, fledgling towns in the developing

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BNSF Successfully Completes Drano Bridge Replacement

Recently, the 113-year-old Drano Bridge was replaced by a 360-foot-long, 2.7-million-pound steel structure constructed in Vancouver WA and floated down the Columbia River by barge. With careful planning and the help of about 50 construction workers, the newest bridge on BNSF Railway’s Columbia River Gorge line was installed within 36 hours and is now carrying

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Supporting Our Communities

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: Protecting Land for Recreation and Wildlife Forterra is a Washington-based nonprofit that enhances, supports, and stewards the region’s most precious resources: its communities and its ecosystems. In its 30-year

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BNSF Unveils 25th Anniversary Locomotives

BNSF recently introduced the first of 10 locomotives with special paint schemes marking the railroad’s 25th anniversary. The General Electric ES44AC No. 5828 now displays a “25th Anniversary” label on the nose and side, as well as logos of predecessor railroads: Burlington Northern; Santa Fe; Great Northern; Northern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; Colorado &

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Sandpoint Junction Connector Project Moves to the Next Phase

To meet the growing needs of the communities it serves, BNSF is building a second rail bridge over Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille adjacent to the existing rail bridge. BNSF is also building new bridges over Sand Creek and Bridge Street in Sandpoint, ID. The upgrades will reduce congestion and help move current freight traffic and

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Railroad Safety is a Matter of Life and Death

BNSF is committed to promoting safety around tracks. Spokane BNSF deputy police chief Alan Dryer was recently featured in the Spokesman-Review with critical reminders of how dangerous trains can be when people aren’t careful. About every three hours, a person or vehicle in the U.S. is hit by a train. Dryer’s guest article highlighted important

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Supporting Our Communities

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: Preserving Railroading Heritage A piece of railroading history is making its final journey to its new home. Built in 1958 for the Great Northern Railway, an SD9 locomotive

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BNSF Adds Service Between the PNW and Ohio

In June, BNSF introduced a new service between the Pacific Northwest and Northwest Ohio. Customers who originate shipments at BNSF’s South Seattle Intermodal Facility can now access some of the fastest growing industrial and consumer markets in and around northwest Ohio, including Toledo, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Louisville and Pittsburgh. The container-only service is available

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Cheney Depot Moved Safely Down the Line

The Cheney Depot, once the center of the small Washington town, safely moved to its new home on private property last month. Built in 1929, the Spanish Eclectic-styled depot was saved from demolition through the coordinated efforts of BNSF and the Cheney Depot Society. In its earlier years, the Cheney Depot was the iconic starting

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Safety Near Tracks Saves Lives

It’s a shocking fact that about every three hours in the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a train. BNSF is committed to preventing collisions, injuries and fatalities on and around railroad tracks. It is illegal—and unsafe—to access private railroad property anywhere other than a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing. This includes trespassing,

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Supporting Our Communities

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 Clothing and Hygiene Products for Low Income Youth The Arlington Kids Kloset provides new and quality used clothing, shoes, and hygiene products free of charge. This service

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Streamlining Truck Entrance into Intermodal Facilities

BNSF has a long-standing history of utilizing technology to keep the global economy moving. As a technology leader, we’re constantly exploring and adopting new tools to enhance the safety and efficiency of our operations. Our South Seattle Intermodal Facility’s touchless automated in-gate system pilot program is a perfect example. The in-gate system admits trucks more

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Supporting Our Communities

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: Connecting Families with Sanitized Furnishings Community Warehouse connects Portland-area families in need with essential furnishings. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the organization, with BNSF Railway Foundation funding,

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Stay Safe Near Railroad Tracks This Summer

BNSF urges the public to be safe near railroad tracks as summer’s longer days and warmer temperatures near. Crossing railroad tracks away from a designated crossing is both illegal and dangerous. Please heed these easy steps to ensure your safety near the railroad: Always expect a train at any time. Trains don’t travel on fixed

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BNSF, Food Producers Keep Grocery Stores Stocked

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the food supply chain has been stretched working to meet extraordinary demand. Fewer people dining at restaurants or ordering takeout means more home cooking, more grocery shopping and more food flying off store shelves. Food producers and common carriers like BNSF Railway are working together to meet the need for

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