BNSF

Commentary: Belay that RR intermodal market hype

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

There have been lots of surging intermodal volumes reported these past two months. So, intermodal rail is coming back, correct? All is right with the intermodal rail world. It is sunny skies and good news ahead.

Hold that thought. Ask one simple question. What is your actual level of confidence about that optimistic projection? Is it sustainable?

Is there 100%...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-belay-that-rr-intermodal-market-hype

BNSF names new CEO

A photograph of a BNSF train traveling through a desert landscape.

Privately owned Western railroad BNSF (NYSE: BRK) will have a new president and CEO in January.

Kathryn M. Farmer will take over the roles currently held by Carl R. Ice, who is retiring at the end of 2020 but will remain on BNSF’s board of directors. Farmer’s first day will be Jan. 1.

BNSF is an asset of Berkshire Hathaway, whose chairman and CEO is Warren Buffett.

Farmer’s tenure at BNSF spans 28 years, and she has most recently served as executive vice president of operations, a position she has...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/bnsf-names-new-ceo

BNSF, Union Pacific help prevent spread of wildfires

A photograph of a BNSF train.

Although BNSF’s (NYSE: BRK) rail operations haven’t encountered major disruptions from the wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, the railroad is doing its part to help fight fires.

“Thankfully the impacts to our network in California thus far have been minimal. We do continue to monitor the fires throughout the Pacific Northwest, including in Washington state and Oregon,” BNSF spokesperson Amy Casas said.

In Washington, BNSF has deployed its fire trains, based in Wishram and Pasco, to help support...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/bnsf-union-pacific-help-prevent-spread-of-wildfires

Commentary: Intermodal missed signals? Fumbling so close to the growth goal line?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

When trying to comprehend what’s going on in complex markets, it’s best to consider multiple expert opinions. It is also prudent to consider different ways to sort the data sets available and then display them against other matched datasets.

The more views, the better the comprehension. In the digital age, there are a lot more sources.

Figure 1 (below) identifies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-intermodal-missed-signals-fumbling-so-close-to-the-growth-goal-line

Hurricane Laura hammers Union Pacific tracks near Lake Charles

A Union Pacific train moves on a track. Union Pacific says the railway experienced extensive damage to tracks in the Lake Charles area from Hurricane Laura.

Hurricane Laura delivered “heavy damage” to the Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) mainline and industrial tracks in the Lake Charles, Louisiana, area, resulting in both being taken out of service, the railroad said Thursday.

The hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm, with winds of up to 150 mph, moving across Louisiana before weakening to a tropical storm. Laura’s path suggested that Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF (NYSE: BRK) likely bore the brunt of the storm among the railroads serving the region.

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/hurricane-laura-hammers-union-pacific-tracks-near-lake-charles

BNSF closes maintenance facility in Montana

A BNSF train travels by a desert mountain range.

BNSF (NYSE: BRK) has closed a maintenance facility in Glendive, Montana, amid customers’ changing business conditions and lower demand projections for railcars to ship commodities such as coal and energy.

The facility closed on July 7, impacting 85 jobs, BNSF confirmed. About 70 positions will remain in the community, the privately owned railroad said.

“Similar to the size of our train, yard and engine workforce, our mechanical teams must match the demand for traffic moved by our railroad. With...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/bnsf-closes-maintenance-facility-in-montana

BNSF’s Q2 net earnings fall, but operating ratio improves

A photograph of a BNSF train traveling through an open field of dry land. A mountain range is in the background.

Like its other Class I counterparts, the COVID-19 pandemic hit BNSF’s (NYSE: BRK) bottom line in the second quarter, with revenue falling 22% amid an 18% drop in rail volumes.

“BNSF is an important part of the national and global supply chain and, as an essential business, has continued to operate throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant economic slowdown that has adversely affected the demand for transportation services,”...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bnsfs-q2-net-earnings-fall-but-operating-ratio-improves

Nebraska officials want answers on blocked rail crossings

A photograph of a train at a railroad crossing.

Nebraska officials are preparing to ask BNSF (NYSE: BRK), Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) and the Nebraska Central Railroad to take more action against blocked highway-rail grade crossings in Grand Island in Hall County.

The transportation department within the Nebraska Public Service Commission plans to file a formal complaint against the three railroads for violating Commission Rule 002.09D. State officials will give the railroads 20 days to respond before taking any additional action.

The filing...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/nebraska-officials-want-answers-on-blocked-rail-crossings

Federal court upholds ruling in favor of injured former BNSF employee

A photograph of a train traveling through a desert field. There is a mountain range in the distance behind the train.

A federal appeals court upheld a verdict allowing a former BNSF employee to be compensated $3.1 million for an unlawful termination and workplace-related injuries.

In a June 22 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld an April 2019 ruling that enabled former BNSF conductor Zachary Wooten to receive compensatory damages, lost wages, punitive damages and front pay from BNSF (NYSE: BRK). The total compensation equaled about $3.1 million, according to court documents and a Monday...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/federal-court-upholds-ruling-in-favor-of-injured-former-bnsf-employee

CBP finds 48 alleged stowaways in BNSF, UP trains at border

A photograph of people waiting in a long line inside a hallway.

Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently apprehended 48 people who allegedly sought to cross the U.S. border illegally from Mexico as stowaways on auto hauler rail cars operated by BNSF (NYSE: BRK) and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP).

The incidents occurred between last Thursday and Saturday at the El Paso, Texas, port of entry.

In one incident on Thursday, CBP officers processing a northbound train at a Union Pacific (UP) rail crossing discovered 13 alleged stowaways in an auto...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cbp-finds-48-alleged-stowaways-in-bnsf-up-trains-at-border

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