BNSF Railway
Encyclopedia : B : BN : BNS : BNSF Railway
- This article is about the freight railroad company. For the Chicagoland commuter rail line, see BNSF Railway Line.
The BNSF Railway (AAR reporting mark BNSF), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the largest railroad networks in North America (only one competitor, the Union Pacific Railroad, is comparable in size). It was formed December 31, 1996 as the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad. On January 24 2005, the railroad's name was officially changed to BNSF Railway.
The BNSF Railway is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, the holding company formed by the September 22, 1995 merger of Burlington Northern, Incorporated and the Santa Fe Pacific Corporation. According to corporate press releases, the BNSF Railway is among the top transporters of intermodal traffic in North America, and moves more grain than any other American railroad. It also hauls enough coal to generate roughly 10% of the electricity produced in the United States.
- 1 BNSF trackage
- 2 BNSF yards and facilities
- 3 BNSF's northern route
- 3.1 Northern route overview
- 3.2 Traveling east from Seattle, Washington to the western portal of the Cascade Tunnel
- 4 BNSF's commitment to safety
- 5 BNSF facts and figures
- 6 BNSF paint schemes
- 7 Supreme court case: BNSF Co. & White
- 8 See also
- 9 External links
- 10 References
BNSF trackage
The BNSF Railway directly owns and operates track in 27 U.S. states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The railway also operates a small amount of track in Canada, including an approximate 30-mile (48 kilometer) section that runs from the U.S.-Canada border to Vancouver, British Columbia and a yard in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For administrative purposes, BNSF is divided into thirteen different divisions: California, Chicago, Gulf, Kansas, Los Angeles, Montana, Nebraska, Northwest, Powder River, Southwest, Springfield, Texas, and Twin Cities. Each division is further divided into hundreds of different subdivisions, which represent segments of track ranging from 300-mile mainlines to 10-mile branch-lines.
Not including second, third and fourth main line trackage, yard trackage, and siding trackage, BNSF directly owns and operates over approximately 24,000 miles (38,624 kilometers) of track. When these additional tracks are counted, however, the amount of track that the railway has direct control over rises to over 50,000 miles (80,467 kilometers).
Additionally, the BNSF Railway has been able to gain trackage rights on over 8,000 miles (12,875 kilometers) of track throughout the United States and Canada. These rights allow the BNSF to operate its own trains with its own crews on competing railroads' main tracks.
BNSF locomotives also occasionally show up on competitors' tracks throughout the United States and Canada by way of lease and other contractual arrangements.
BNSF yards and facilities
BNSF operates various facilities all over the United States to support its transportation system. Some of the various facilities operated by the railway include yards and terminals throughout its rail network, system locomotive shops to perform locomotive service and maintenance, a centralized operations center for train dispatching and network operations monitoring in Fort Worth, Texas, and regional dispatching centers.The BNSF Railway also operates numerous transfer facilities throughout the western United States in order to facilitate the transfer of intermodal containers, trailers, and other freight traffic. The BNSF Railway has direct control over a total of 33 intermodal hubs and 23 automotive distribution facilities. On February 9 2005, BNSF announced that it plans to build a new intermodal transfer facility near the port of Los Angeles; the new facility, with direct rail access to the recently constructed Alameda Corridor, would supplement the container transloading abilities of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) built by Southern Pacific in the 1990s.
Large freight car hump yards are also scattered throughout the BNSF system. In 2005, Argentine Yard in Kansas City, Kansas processed the largest number of freight cars.
The BNSF mechanical division is responsible for operating 8 locomotive maintenance facilities involved with preventive maintenance, repairs and servicing of equipment. The largest of these facilities are located in Alliance, Nebraska and Topeka, Kansas. Furthermore, the mechanical division also controls 46 additional facilities that are responsible for car maintenance and daily running repairs.
Meanwhile, the BNSF system mechanical division, a subset of the mechanical division, also operates two maintenance-of-way work equipment shops, responsible for performing repairs and preventative maintenance to BNSF's track and equipment, in Brainerd, Minnesota and Galesburg, Illinois. The system mechanical division is also responsible for the operation of the Western Fruit Express Company's refrigerated car repair shop in Spokane, Washington.
BNSF's northern route
Northern route overview
One of the routes operated by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe traverses the most northerly route of any railroad in the western United States. This route was originally part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway systems, merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad system in 1970. The route starts at Chicago and runs west across northern Illinois to the Mississippi River; it follows the eastern shore of the river through La Crosse and Prairie du Chien before turning west again in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota to Dilworth, Minnesota. From Dilworth the route runs Northwest to Minot, North Dakota, then West to Montana, and Idaho to Spokane, Washington. At Spokane the route splits into two routes, one going to Seattle, Washington and the other to Portland, Oregon. This route required construction of the Flathead Tunnel through the Rocky Mountains in Montana and the new Cascade Tunnel through the Cascade Mountains in Washington. This route is traveled by Amtrak's Empire Builder. Also owned in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada is trackage, running rights and a yard operated by a force of clerks, a switch unit and full crew and the track is maintained by a small track crew.Traveling east from Seattle, Washington to the western portal of the Cascade Tunnel
Traveling east from the King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, the main line of the BNSF heads north through a tunnel under downtown Seattle. After exiting the tunnel the main line continues north through the Interbay classification yard and maintenance facilities and across the Lake Washington Ship Canal on the Salmon Bay Bridge. The main line continues north along the shore of Puget Sound through the cities of Edmonds, Washington and Mukilteo, Washington past Rucker Hill in Everett, Washington to the old Everett station. From there the main line makes a 180 degree turn through a partially covered cut through downtown Everett to the new Everett station. From the new station, the main line heads south, then southeast along the Snohomish River through the cities of Snohomish, Washington and Monroe, Washington. From Monroe the main line follows the Skykomish River through the towns of Index, Washington and Skykomish, Washington to the western portal of the Cascade Tunnel.
BNSF's commitment to safety
As one of the leading supporters of the Operation Lifesaver program to promote safety at railway crossings and right-of-ways, the BNSF Railway, in 2000, established a grade-crossing closure program. This program, wherein BNSF works with communities and landowners to identify crossings that are unnecessary or redundant, has helped close over 2,900 of BNSF's railway crossings throughout the United States. Largely thanks to this program, BNSF has been the industry leader in lowering the amount of grade-crossing collisions.On June 7, 2006, BNSF became the first Class I railroad to actively recruit railfans to help ensure the company's rail network remains safe. Called the Citizens United for Rail Security (CRS), BNSF designed a program that encourages railfans to enter a small amount of personal information on an official company website. After doing so, the website generates an identification card that can be printed off and carried in the same manner as a driver's license or credit card. Along with the user's personal information, the card contains a list of general guidelines for a railfan to follow while near tracks or moving equipment as well as a toll-free telephone number that can be used to alert a BNSF representative of any suspicious activities or potential security breaches.
BNSF has had a similar program called BNSF ON GUARD for employees since 2003. The program has been highly successful with over 200 employees reporting suspicious activities since its inception.BNSF Railway (June 7, 2006), [BNSF Railway Asks Rail Fans for Cooperation to Keep America's Rail System Safe]. Retrieved June 29, 2006.
BNSF facts and figures
According to BNSF's 2005 Annual Report to Investors, at the end of 2005, the railway had more than 40,000 employees, 5,790 locomotives, and 81,881 freight cars.- Broken down by specific kind of car, the BNSF owned:
- * 34,631 covered hoppers
- * 12,579 gondolas
- * 8,658 boxcars
- * 10,973 open hoppers
- * 8,537 flatcars
- * 4,983 refrigerated "reefer" cars
- * 748 automobile cars
- * 422 tank cars
- * 27 general purpose boxcars
- * 323 "other" types of cars
- In addition, the railway also owned:
- * 10,412 domestic containers
- * 12,649 domestic chassis
- * 4,091 company service vehicles
- * 1,916 trailers
- * 179 commuter passenger cars
It may also be noted that on any given day BNSF is the single largest consumer of petroleum-based fuels in the world. The only larger consumer is the US Navy during a full force wartime deployment.
On January 24 2006, BNSF announced a $2.4 billion program of infrastructure upgrades for 2006. The upgrade program includes: double- and triple-tracking 40 miles (64.4 km) of track and a second mainline track through New Mexico's Abo Canyon on the former Santa Fe Railroad transcontinental line; expanding the Lincoln, Nebraska, classification yard and double- and triple-tracking 50 miles (80.5 km) of track in Wyoming's Powder River Basin region; expansions at eight of the railroad's larger intermodal facilities, and extending many sidings and expanding and improving refueling facilities. In making the announcement, BNSF chairman Matthew K. Rose cited improvements in the company's return on invested capital, and expressed hope for continued improvement.BNSF Railway (January 24 2006), [BNSF Announces $2.4 Billion Capital Commitment Program for 2006; About $400 Million Again Slated for Track/Facilities Expansion]. Retrieved January 30 2006.
BNSF paint schemes
The assortment of colors used on the BNSF makes it one of the most colorful large railroads in North America. Many locomotives, sometimes affectionately called "pumpkins," are painted in "Heritage I" or "Heritage II" schemes, which are based on the Great Northern Railroad's colors of orange and dark green. Begining in 2005, the "New Image" paint scheme was born. Some locomotives are painted in Santa Fe's famous silver-and-red "warbonnet" scheme, sometimes with "BNSF" painted on the sides instead of "Santa Fe". Even more locomotives continue to wear the green and white or blue and yellow colors of the two railroads that merged to create the BNSF. It is to note, however, that all engines are planned to be painted into Heritage colors as they undergo overhauls.
On January 24 2005, the railroad introduced a new logo to replace the circle and cross logo of Santa Fe heritage. The new logo symbolizes the railroad's goals to be "a leader in transportation service and innovation." This logo also marks a move away from the more verbose Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway moniker displayed in the old logo. The "Heritage III" paint scheme was introduced soon after, featuring the new logo painted on the nose and sides of the locomotive and black stripes instead of green. So far, not very many locomotives have this paint scheme, apparently because BNSF wants to use up the rest of the decals used for the Heritage II scheme. BNSF has also rolled out a number of freight cars featuring the new company logo.
Several paint schemes were tried out before Heritage I was put into service. One engine, [BNSF 9647] was painted in a hybrid scheme, with the shapes used in Santa Fe's "Warbonnet" scheme in Burlington Northern's colors. Reactions to this scheme were generally negative, and the engine has acquired such nicknames as "warvomit" and "barfbonnet." Two slightly different experimental paint schemes were used on one unit, [BNSF 9297,] The left side had small additional stripes.
Heritage I
The original cross and circle company logo is displayed on the nose of the locomotive. On the sides, BNSF appears in dark green letters in the orange stripe. Solid yellow stripes separate orange and green. Side view photographed by Kevin Andrusia, front view by William H. Davis Jr.
Heritage II
The green stripes are smaller than on Heritage I. Broader yellow stripes with black bands separate the orange and green. The BNSF text on the sides is now yellow and outlined in black. The logo on the front is the "cigar band" from the ATSF warbonnet paint scheme, with BNSF printed across it. Sometimes the space on the nose under the lower yellow stripes is painted green, sometimes orange as shown here. Side view photographed by Chris Starnes, front view by Dave Touissant.
New Image
This scheme, nicknamed "Powerbar," is very similar to Heritage II. The green stripes are now black and banded yellow stripes like those on Heritage II separate them from the orange stripe. The new company logo is displayed on the nose and sides of the locomotive. One locomotive, [number 7695,] had the logo in yellow type with a black outline, but BNSF has decided to use the opposite as shown here. Side view photographed by Peter K. Bieber, front view by Chris Lastovich.
Supreme court case: BNSF Co. & White
The United States Supreme Court heard a case in June of 2006 brought by Sheila White against her employer, BNSF, over retaliation taken against her when she complained about sexual harrasment. She was moved from operating a forklift truck to a more arduous position involving the use of hundred pound sledge hammers. When she complained about this retaliatory move taken against her, she was suspended without pay for 37 days. Her suspension was later reversed, and back pay was issued. Nonetheless, she won a jury award of $43,500 from BNSF. The jury's award was appealed all the way to the United States Supreme Court, but was upheld by a 9-0 ruling. [link]See also
- List of United States railroads
- List of Iowa railroads
- List of Kansas railroads
- List of Mississippi railroads
- List of Wisconsin railroads
- BNSF Harbor Subdivision, a historic main in Southern California
External links
- [BNSF]
- [BNSF Division Maps]
- [BNSF History]
- [BNSF Company Profile]
- [Interesting BNSF Facts]
- [Hoover's Company Profile]
- [BNSF Intermodal/Automotive Map in PDF Format]
- [BNSF News]
- [Friends of the Burlington Northern Railroad] - Historical society
- [BNSF Store] - Official company merchandise
References
- BNSF Railway (January 24 2005), [BNSF Adopts New Corporate and Subsidiary Logos and Changes Name of Railway Subsidiary as Part of Tenth Anniversary Celebration]. Retrieved January 25 2005.
- BNSF Railway (February 9 2005), [Port of Los Angeles begins discussions with BNSF Railway Company on new intermodal facility]. Retrieved February 10 2005.
- redirect
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