BNSF Railway Co

2 weeks ago | progressiverailroading.com | Julie Sneider |BNSF Railway Co

By Julie Sneider, Senior Editor  To Mark Ganaway, trying to grow freight-rail carload volume in the wake of years of industry challenges is a lot like trying to score runs in baseball.   His analogy goes something like this: Homerun king Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest player of all time, represents the energy industry of years past, when unit trains of coal, crude oil and frac sand were dependable business prospects.

Dec 6, 2024 | progressiverailroading.com | Jeff Stagl |BNSF Railway Co

By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor   Late next year, BNSF Railway Co. will mark its 30th anniversary. The railroad was formed on Sept. 22, 1995, when the Burlington Northern Railroad and Santa Fe Railway merged.   BNSF is the product of 400 predecessor railroads over the past 175 years, so its history stretches back much longer than merely about three decades. But with the 30-year milestone rising on the horizon, the Class I is reflecting on its many accomplishments since the merger.

Aug 19, 2024 | progressiverailroading.com | Jeff Stagl |BNSF Railway Co

By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor  Something considered unique in the rail industry occurred in 1994. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway built a facility in Haslet, Texas, specifically for intermodal. At the time, that traffic segment was just beginning to gain traction after bursting on the rail scene in the late 1980s. Yet, the Santa Fe established the terminal as part of an aggressive effort to grow its intermodal business.

Jul 10, 2024 | progressiverailroading.com | Jeff Stagl |BNSF Railway Co

By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor In 1989, BNSF Railway Co. and J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. teamed up to do something considered unconventional at the time. They created the U.S. rail industry’s first modern intermodal service. Fast forward to 2023, and the large Class I and trucking/transportation/logistics giant — who have remained business collaborators for more than three decades — again did something together that’s outside the norm.

May 10, 2024 | progressiverailroading.com | Julie Sneider |BNSF Railway Co

By Julie Sneider, Senior Editor  One of Judy Dittmer’s early assignments after joining Hanson Professional Services Inc. as a civil engineer in 1984 involved a rail yard near the Clark Bridge at the Mississippi River in Alton, Illinois.   The yard was impacted by a roadway alignment that led up to the bridge, and Dittmer, a civil engineer, was brought in to help with a track removal project as part of an effort to streamline the yard’s operations.