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BNSF_Color_LogoFORT WORTH, Texas – BNSF Railway Company Feb. 5 announced a new single-year record capital commitment plan of approximately $5 billion for 2014, approximately a $1 billion increase over its 2013 capital spend.

The largest component of the capital plan is spending $2.3 billion on BNSF’s core network and related assets. BNSF also plans to spend approximately $1.6 billion on locomotive, freight car and other equipment acquisitions. In addition, the program includes about $200 million for continued installation of positive train control (PTC) and approximately $900 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects.

BNSF handled more than 50 percent of the volume increases for the rail industry in 2013. The growth was led by an eight percent increase in domestic intermodal units, an 11 percent increase in Industrial Products volumes led by crude-by-rail related traffic, a three percent increase in coal volumes and a fourth quarter surge in agricultural products. This growth is on top of a 2012 BNSF total volume base of more than 9.6 million units. Much of the capacity expansion in the 2014 capital plan is for infrastructure investment on BNSF’s Northern Corridor to put the company in position to meet all customer service expectations, including Amtrak.

BNSF’s expansion and efficiency projects will be primarily focused on line capacity improvements to accommodate growth in agricultural products, intermodal, automotive, and industrial products volumes related to crude oil production, and other terminal improvements to enhance productivity and velocity. More than $900 million of the capital plan is for expansion and maintenance in the Northern Corridor.

“Our capital plan continues to focus on improving our ability to meet our customers’ service expectations, increasing our capacity where there is growth, and strengthening our railroad to help ensure it remains the safest means of ground transportation for freight,” said Carl Ice, president and chief executive officer of BNSF Railway. “BNSF’s capital investments are an integral part of making sure our network is well prepared for the demand for freight rail service in the U.S. and helps ensure the continued integrity and reliability of our network.”

BNSF_Color_LogoFARGO, North Dakota — North Dakota’s two senators took turns peppering two BNSF executives Saturday on the railroad company’s plans to prevent another train derailment like last month’s crash and fire near Casselton.

The Dec. 30 collision that happened when a train carrying soybeans derailed and caused a train carrying crude oil to derail one mile west of Casselton caused massive explosions and left a cloud over the city. There were no injuries, but residents were asked to evacuate.

Read the complete story at The Republic.

NTSB_logoWASHINGTON – The National Transportation Board today released its preliminary report in the Dec. 30, 2013, derailment, collision, fire and explosion that occurred near Fargo, N.D. A BNSF train carrying crude oil struck a derailed BNSF train on a parallel track that was carrying grain.

The full report can be found here.

 

BNSF_Color_LogoA freight train carrying vehicles and commodities that overturned on railroad tracks near a north Tulsa community early Friday is being treated as an act of vandalism with company officials offering a $100,000 reward to help find the person responsible, officials said.

Joe Faust, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman, said the company is working with the Tulsa Police Department and the FBI after a coupling device was found detached from a railcar.

The company announced Friday evening that its “railway police” are offering a reward in the amount of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for tampering with the parked train’s air brake system and causing what the company considers a “major derailment.”

Read more at Tulsa World.

BNSF_Color_LogoBNSF Railway is promoting Carl Ice from president and chief operating officer to chief executive officer, replacing Matt Rose, who will become executive chairman.

The railroad is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and is one of Nebraska’s and Lincoln’s biggest private employers.

Read the complete story at the Lincoln Journal Star.

BNSF_Color_LogoSEATTLE – BNSF Railway has announced it will pay $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects who fired at least 15 shots at one of its freight trains west of Quincy at 8:15 p.m. Sept. 24.

Gus Melonas, spokesman for the Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad, said neither of the train’s two-man crew were injured in the incident, which began as the westbound train approached Trinidad, eight miles west of Quincy at Bear Springs Road.

Read the complete story at The Wenatchee World.

CTRAN L.L.C., Cogent Energy Solutions L.L.C. and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners have announced they secured all permits, funding and customers to begin construction on a crude-by-rail terminal adjacent to the Casper Natrona County International Airport in Casper, Wyo.

To be completed in spring 2014, the terminal will be served by BNSF Railway Co. and accommodate unit train and manifest loadings of both heavy and light crude, said officials of CTRAN — a Granite Peak Development/BDW Co. joint venture — in a press release. The facility will feature an initial storage capacity of 750,000 barrels of crude and can be expanded to eventually handle 2 million barrels, they said.

Read the complete story at Progressive Railroading.

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Four people were injured in a three-train collision about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of U.S. Highway 60 and Farm-to-Market Road 1912 east of Amarillo, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office said.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway spokesman Joe Faust said a stopped train heading east was stopped on the tracks when another train also traveling east rear-ended it. The collision caused about 20 to 30 trailers traveling with the trains to become derailed. Shortly after, a westbound train hit some of the derailed cars from the first accident.

Read the complete story at the Amarillo Globe-News.

 

BNSF_loco_K.D.McLaughlinAMARILLO, Texas (AP) – A Texas Panhandle collision involving three freight trains has left four BNSF Railway crewmembers hurt – two critically – and derailed up to 30 cars.

The Department of Public Safety says the accident happened before dawn Wednesday just east of Amarillo.

Click here to read more. 

Railroad operator BNSF Railways Co. announced plans Monday to spend $125 million expanding and improving their system in Oklahoma.

The projects include a new bypass connection at the Cherokee Yard in West Tulsa and extending a siding area on their tracks near Mannford.

Read the complete story at the Tulsa World.