Blue Cut Fire disrupts rail service to ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

Southern California’s so called “Blue Cut Fire” has disrupted BNSF and Union Pacific rail traffic, including intermodal traffic moving to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but some train lines and highways are reopening.    The so-called “Blue Cut Fire” in Southern California is disrupting BNSF and Union Pacific rail traffic, including intermodal traffic moving to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but some train lines and highways are reopening.
   On Wednesday, BNSF said service interruption at Cajon Pass could cause delays of 36-48 hours on shipments moving through this corridor, but the railway said Thursday morning in a customer service announcement that while its main track one in the area will remain out of service, main tracks two and three were both restored late Wednesday and that “continued recovery efforts will be subject to wildfire activity in the affected areas.”
   Cajon Pass is approximately 20 miles northwest of San Bernardino, Calif. and BNSF said, “This location impacts traffic to and from the Southern California On-Dock (SCOD), Los Angeles and San Bernardino facilities.”
   UP spokesman Justin Jacobs told American Shipper that tracks have been shut down and a bridge on its Mojave subdivision crossing a cut has been damaged. He said the railroad hopes to have the bridge repaired by the end of the weekend or early next week. Trains are being diverted to other UP routes or BNSF tracks.
   Jacobs also said 50-70 UP trains move through the corridor on a daily basis.
   “First and foremost is safety and we are coordinating with the Forest Service, local fire departments and local responders to assist and be helpful in any way that we can,” he said.
   Cal Fire said Wednesday morning the Blue Cut Fire has engulfed 31,689 acres and is only 4 percent contained. Overall, 80,000 residents have been forced to flee. Interstate 15 had been closed, but the Los Angeles Times said the Northbound lane had reopened.