BNSF’s tracks stretch across the country, connecting people with essential goods and keeping the country’s economy running. Such an operation requires massive amounts of infrastructure that often intersect with the public. That’s why it’s important for everyone to have a basic understanding of rail safety. Continuing our commitment to raising awareness about railway safety, we…
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Each year, BNSF hosts the “Employee of the Year” program, celebrating the employees who best demonstrate BNSF’s vision and values through their commitment and leadership, as well as their focus on working safely and efficiently to meet and exceed customer expectations. This year, four employees from across our major operations teams were each awarded the…
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Snowplows are a crucial piece of BNSF’s Winter Action Plans to keep trains moving and protect employee safety. Snowplow season generally starts during November, and in some higher-altitude or more northern sections of our network, can last into April. BNSF’s Jordan Spreaders, Russell snowplows or “Fliers,” and rotary snowplows have been hard at work all winter to…
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Part of BNSF’s commitment to transporting freight safely involves training employees, first responders, and contractors for unlikely events that involve hazardous materials. During a recent training in Bonner County, Idaho, BNSF provided a group of 42 local first responders, and contractors with practical experience and techniques to safely respond to an incident involving oil trapped…
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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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BNSF takes every precaution to make sure that all track components including rail, crossties, spikes, bolts and plates and even the roadbed underlying the track are stable and dependable. One of the technologies used for inspecting tracks is its fleet of geometry cars, better known as “geo cars.” There are two types: the traditional geometry…
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In September, local emergency response officials coordinated with BNSF to practice deploying an oil containment boom on Lake Pend Oreille near Sandpoint, Idaho. A containment boom is a floating barrier used to contain an oil spill. Between BNSF, Montana Rail Link and Avista Utilities, approximately 24,000 feet of boom are located within two hours of…
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Did you know that it can take more than a mile for a freight train to stop? Promoting train track safety is an essential part of BNSF’s operation and culture. That’s why BNSF actively seeks ways to educate about rail safety such as partnering with Operation Lifesaver, Inc. to observe Rail Safety Week and Operation…
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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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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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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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Every year, BNSF trains 6,000 to 10,000 first responders in Railroad Emergency Response and Hazardous Material Awareness. This year is no different even with COVID-19. Thanks to virtual training initiated by BNSF, first responders are able to learn from the comfort of their homes and stations. During 90-minute webinar sessions, full-time and volunteer emergency workers…
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BNSF understands that a safe and resilient rail network is crucial to our customers and our nation’s future, especially during times of crisis. As communities continue to need essential goods, we must keep shipments moving in a safe and secure manner. As a leader in railroad safety, BNSF’s vision is to operate free of accidents…
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BNSF Railway is always looking for ways to increase safety and capacity on our system. One way the railroad gets more capacity is through Centralized Traffic Control, or CTC. CTC consolidates train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. CTC utilizes automation allowing dispatchers to remotely control…
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