BNSF

Improving market conditions should support BNSF’s financials in 2021, said S&P on why it modified its ratings for the privately held railroad.

FreightWaves looks at five themes that ran throughout the earnings discussions of the Class I railroads.

Executives with parent company Berkshire Hathaway expect BNSF to take steps to protect the railroad’s franchise as the merger between Kansas City Southern and one of the Canadian railways makes its way through regulatory review.

With a Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merger, grain shippers in the Dakotas will have a real single-line option to reach their end markets rather than having to rely solely on UP or BNSF, says former U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators will look into what led to the death of a 24-year veteran of BNSF at a customer facility in Missouri.

Witnesses at a U.S. House hearing on Wednesday stressed the need for a multimodal approach in federal support of the railroads, citing freight rail’s connection with both rural, inland towns and coastal ports.

Three investigators will try to determine what caused the death of a BNSF worker on Wednesday at a rail yard near Los Angeles.

The AAR released climate policy proposals encouraging partnerships and market solutions that promote competition and carbon capture, utilization and storage technology.

Lower fuel expenses helped privately held BNSF’s net income grow by 5% in the fourth quarter of 2020.

According to Bank of America and McKinsey, 10 years of expected e-commerce growth penetrated in three months’ time.

Prospective North American and international customers are inquiring about Wabtec’s battery electric, heavy-haul locomotive, which is undergoing advanced tests with BNSF. The company reported its fourth-quarter results on Thursday.

The trade agreement’s rules governing how much of a car must consist of North American parts could incentivize automakers to set up more assembly plants in the U.S.

Extreme cold and lots of snow in the Midwest and other areas could impact rail operations and cause delays, according to some railroads.

Customers taking part in BNSF’s program to develop facilities on BNSF-owned real estate invested $1.1 billion in those facilities in 2020.

The Western U.S. railroad expects to invest $2.99 billion in capital projects to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure and assets.

BNSF and Wabtec conduct advanced tests on a battery-electric locomotive by putting it in service in California with two Tier 4 diesel locomotives.

Canadian Pacific has announced a pilot project to develop North America’s first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive.

Initial reports reveal seven tank cars derailed in Washington state and two were on fire, said.

The railroad has named three locations to be part of its site-ready industrial development program.

Samantha Brooks and Ellen Reiche were arrested Saturday night in connection with an alleged terrorist attack on train tracks north of Seattle.

A few images convey a great deal about the intermodal rail model.

Which of the big seven railroad companies has a volume growth strategic plan to sync with J.B. Hunt?

Third-quarter revenue fell 14% year-over-year, parent company Berkshire Hathaway said. However, lower operating costs led BNSF to a sub-60 operating ratio.

Lower volumes blamed for the job reductions in Kansas.

Genuflecting toward Wall Street has symbolically become part of the North American Class 1 rail company culture.

Intermodal containers arrived this week at North Dakota’s first and only intermodal facility in Minot.

The BNSF Logistics team rallies around a shared purpose: “We deliver what matters.”

The rail sites are for manufacturers wanting to expand their footprint domestically or tap into the export network.

It is too early to call the intermodal recovery a long-term win for the railroads.

Kathryn M. Farmer will assume the role of president and CEO in January, taking the reins from current President and CEO Carl R. Ice. Ice is retiring but will remain on BNSF’s board of directors.

The wildfires in Washington state aren’t a major threat to BNSF’s Washington operations, but the railroad deployed trains to help area first responders. Union Pacific grappled with wildfires near a Northern California subdivision last week.

Intermodal was supposed to be the growth engine for rail.

Union Pacific reports serious damage to its tracks near Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura pushed across Louisiana.

Volume declines for coal and energy, as well as customers’ changing business conditions, are factors behind the facility’s July closure.

The COVID-19 pandemic dented BNSF’s profits and lowered rail volumes in the second quarter.

The Nebraska Public Service Commission is preparing to file a complaint against BNSF, Union Pacific and Nebraska Central over blocked highway-rail grade crossings in Grand Island.

The former worker is entitled to over $3.1 million in compensatory and punitive damages, lost wages, and front pay.

Border agents found 48 stowaways attempting to enter the U.S. illegally at rail crossings at the El Paso, Texas, port of entry.

BNSF and others are monitoring their rail networks as Cristobal moves up the Mississippi River Valley.

The COVID-19 pandemic dented volume growth in the first quarter for the privately owned railroad.

The modifications include extra precautions that follow CDC guidance.

2019’s $1.2 billion in investments spans consumer, agricultural, industrial products industries

Lower operating expenses helped buoy BNSF’s quarterly and annual profits despite declines in rail volumes and revenue.

The railroad is reducing its capital expenditures budget for this year, but it will allocate more funding toward replacing and upgrading network infrastructure.

Los Angeles port signals efficiency gains as the third-largest container alliance plans additional SE Asia stops.

Lower rail volumes, an active Surface Transportation Board and a strike were among the key events that the U.S. and Canadian freight rail industry experienced this year.

Farmers and other shippers in Oregon got some good news this week when the South Korea-based container carrier SM Line announced it will bring weekly container shipping service back to […]

BNSF placed in service approximately 2.5 miles of second main track near Westmond, Idaho, closing the gap between two larger sections of double-track main line on one of the busiest segments of BNSF’s Northern Corridor.

Lower operating expenses helped to increase profits.

Companies file a flurry of lawsuits against the big four U.S. Class I railroads, alleging their fuel surcharge programs violated antitrust laws.

The company is following through on a pledge to acquire 1,000 branded intermodal containers by the end of 2020.

Blockchain experts will present innovative projects and discuss the latest in the development of the technology for logistics operations at the upcoming BiTA Symposium Chicago, on Nov. 14, 2019.

The owner of BNSF and the investor behind Uber have more in common than it seems.

Second quarter revenue for BNSF rose 0.3 percent despite lower volumes for agricultural products, consumer products and industrial products.

Canadian National announced record western Canadian grain shipments and a C$210 million investment to support exports.

Barge grain movements on Mississippi 85 percent lower than a year ago

The transition to e-commerce and anticipated advances in automated trucking are forcing the freight railroads to adapt to supply chains that require railroads to be more responsive and nimble. One way that the railroads are seeking to address this challenge is by hiring executives outside of the railroading community, in the hopes that placing a non-rail executive in a leadership role will help the railroad weather systemic changes within the supply chain.

Railroad market expert Jim Blaze writes about the movement of chemicals by rail and how that sub-set of railroad traffic is profitable and may grow significantly in the near future.

Total number of trains carrying loads, total number of trains held both increasing as Great Plains flooding washes out tracks.

Hundreds of miles of rails still out of service, other assets at risk from flooding by severe storms.

Berkshire Hathway (NYSE: BRK) chairman and CEO Warren Buffett said he would be willing to consider some form of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) for western U.S. railroad BNSF, although he […]

BNSF (NYSE: BRK) says proposed rules in Oregon would make it harder for the railroad to comply with the common carrier obligation, a federal mandate requiring a railroad to provide transportation to all parties and for all goods, including hazardous materials.

Hundreds of miles of critical freight rails once out of commission due to flooding are back in service.

Precision scheduled railroading (PSR) could benefit customers and shippers, but its deployment pace and how shippers respond to changes will be key to its success, panelists said today at the North East Association of Rail Shippers conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

U.S. rail volumes fell again last week as rail service issues continue to plague the post-flooding Midwestern landscape.

Historic flooding has caused around $1 billion dollars in agricultural damage in Iowa, Nebraska. Roads, rails still out of service.

The largest freight railroad network in the U.S. still has several tracks out of service after Midwest flood damage. At least one other company also suffering losses.

BNSF (NYSE: BRK) and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) are grappling with the aftermath of the recent historic floods, with both companies scrambling to assess and repair damage as quickly as possible.

Two major railroads have stopped freight service because of catastrophic flooding in the Midwest where rails are washed out.

Volvo has started testing connected vehicle technology in California, plus Michigan governor pitches fuel tax hike, California legislator wants to phase out diesel engines and Alibaba buys into delivery company.

Class 1 railroad plans ongoing projects at intermodal facility which is near major shippers and new warehouse space.

Rise in expansion and efficiency projects comes after strong year of growth in company’s intermodal business.

Five-year high in growth seen last year thanks to tariff front-loading and tight truck supply, but shippers likely to put brakes on growth this year.

Class 1 railroad warns of slowdown in shipments through major intermodal hubs as tracks crack under severe cold.

Class 1 railroads may have to shorten train lengths and reduce speeds to cope with cold, while drayage supply will also be tight.

A company that’s been doing it, a company that says it’s going to be doing it and a company that is being affected by others doing it: that was the theme on three calls about precision railroading.

Philadelphia Fed manufacturing data shows strength in January.

Dry van rates hit air-pocket last month and lose altitude; but other indicators of freight economy still looking up.

The charges are growing but there are signs that this lengthy dispute may be coming to an end.

On Wednesday at the Texan Gaylord Resort and Convention Center, following MarketWaves18, members of the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) met to receive updates on the organization’s progress toward data standards, hear announcements, share feedback, and learn about the work being done by BiTA’s think thanks.

A decrease in coal volumes did not slow a revenue rise at BNSF Railway Company, which posted a 16% increase in operating revenues in the third quarter compared to Q3 2017.

In this final part of the three-part series, the author looks at what steps need to be taken to successfully implement precision railroading.

CSX beats estimates as coal volumes post strong gains, but increasing share in intermodal is the railroad’s next plan.

Arkansas-based motor carrier sees driver wages up 18%, but it aims to recoup those costs through new shipper contracts.

Rail seems to be benefiting from higher diesel prices and capacity constraints with SONAR data suggesting more loads are shifting to intermodal in shorter lengths of haul.

BNSF announced that former chief executive Matthew Rose will retire from a his role as executive chairman of the largest freight railroad in the U.S. effective next April, and more in Today’s Pickup.

Long-serving railroad man led BNSF through acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway.

The debt rating agency sees some drawbacks to the process, but is otherwise strongly in support of the growing trend.

Largest U.S. intermodal rail carrier sees uptick in domestic containers and trailers as trucking capacity remains tight.

Port aims for new on-dock rail facility to handle increased container throughput and meet clean-air goals.

The Southern California International Gateway is no nearer completion 13 years after it was first proposed.

Peak shipping season is just starting and experts see no let up in freight demand.

Delays by other railroads in implementing PTC is the basis for BNSF to request a delay in its end-year deadline.

U.S. Xpress goes public; retail sales numbers explode for May; BNSF seeks positive train control delay; Brussels airport goes to blockchain for air cargo management; American LNG exports expected to benefit the entire economy.

As blockchain technology works its way into the transportation ecosystem, there is remains plenty to learn about its potential, but its success will depend on multiple parties working together.

BNSF hauls more coal than any other railroad, but the future of American coal production and consumption is an open question. Is BNSF heavily exposed to downside risk or will it be the last coal carrier standing?

BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) recently became the first Class I railroad to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).

BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) recently became the first Class I railroad to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).