Under the new model, NCTD, will assume rail equipment maintenance and train operations.

NCTD Completes Rail Equipment Maintenance and Train Operations Insourcing

The North County Transit District (NCTD), a Surface Transportation Board (STB) designated rail common carrier, announced on June 27 the completion of insourcing of its rail equipment maintenance and train operations functions,

The limited embargo will take effect on June 27 and expire on July 31.

BNSF: Limited Embargo on Some California-Bound Shipments

In response to “significant ongoing service challenges,” BNSF announced June 23 that it plans to issue a temporary permit embargo affecting some westbound traffic moving to destinations in California. The limited embargo,

Bartlett's Jacksonville, Ill. grain facility includes a 7,000-foot-long loop and can hold up to 100 railcars.

Bartlett to STB: Approve CPKC, Reject CN’s Springfield Line Bid

Bob Knief, President of Bartlett Grain Co., LP (Bartlett), a leading U.S. exporter of grain to Mexico, submitted a statement on June 22 to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to address comments and applications filed on the Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) merger transaction. Specifically, Bartlett is urging the STB to approve the CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) transaction and reject CN’s requesting that KCS’s Springfield Line be divested to it.

BNSF will add approximately 4.3 miles of new fourth main track to eliminate bottlenecks to the San Bernardino (Calif.) Intermodal Facility, located at 1535 W. 4th Street. (Map Courtesy of BNSF)

BNSF: California Congestion Relief Project Moving Forward

BNSF is advancing a project to expedite the flow of trains at its San Bernardino (Calif.) Intermodal Facility.

‘Big 4’ Submit Service Recovery Plans to STB

BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS) and Union Pacific (UP) have answered the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) call to submit service recovery plans—identifying the steps they will take to clear congestion and improve service plus the metrics they will use to evaluate progress over the next six months.

BNSF Modifying ‘Hi-Viz’ Attendance Policy (UPDATED)

Since implementing its “Hi-Viz” attendance policy on Feb. 1, BNSF has been monitoring progress and making adjustments, some of which will take effect June 1, according to the Class I railroad. Unions so far are unimpressed.

Above and Beyond: BNSF’s Safety Employees of the Year

Safety is the most important thing we do at BNSF. And as we move toward our safety vision of a workplace free of accidents or injuries, we celebrate our successes, both of

BNSF 1Q22: Revenue Up Despite Lower Volume

For the first three months of 2022, BNSF posted freight revenue of $5.968 billion, up 10% from the prior-year period, on 2.339 million revenue units, down 3% from 2021, the Class I railroad reported.

Construction is slated to start this fall on a new $1.1 billion Encina manufacturing facility, which will be served by North Shore Railroad, Railway Age’s 2017 Short Line of the Year. (Photo: North Shore Railroad)

Small-Road Briefs: NSRR, Watco

Encina is planning to build a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in Point Township, Pa., to be served by North Shore Railroad. Also, the Birmingham-Jefferson County (Ala.) Port Authority and Watco are investing $1.9 billion to boost business at Port Birmingham.

“With thermal detector technology, we can gather more data about the health of brakes on a moving train than can be collected from a visual inspection,” BNSF EVP and COO Matt Igoe reported.

Watch: BNSF Brake Health Pilot Program

BNSF is conducting a pilot safety program approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to evaluate the effectiveness of thermal detector technology for monitoring brake health.

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