WASHINGTON — As an advocate for safety and a champion for change, Willie Sandoval, a boilermaker with Union Pacific Railroad in Fort Worth, Texas, was named the 2009 winner of the Harold F. Hammond Award.
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Co. has introduced its new Memphis Intermodal Facility to customers, community and state leaders during the facility’s grand opening ceremony. BNSF’s Memphis Intermodal Facility is now fully operational after a $200 million expansion and rebuilding.
WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads announced that 2009 was the safest year in freight railroad history, with preliminary year-end data indicating the train accident rate, employee casualty rate and grade crossing incident rates were all at record low levels last year.
WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that in February 2010, U.S. freight railroads saw a 1.5 percent decline in carloads compared with the same month last year and a decline of 15.6 percent compared with the same month in 2008.
WASHINGTON — Carload freight volume on U.S. railroads reached its highest level in more than a year during the week ended Feb. 27, the Association of American Railroads reported. U.S. railroads originated 290,261 carloads during the week ended Feb. 27, up 2.6 percent from the comparable week in 2009 and the highest level reported since the week ended Dec. 6, 2008. However, the total was still down 13.5 percent from comparison week in 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR now reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Co. announced that it has reduced transit schedules on 60 percent of its Domestic Intermodal Premium Container traffic, and added 16 more days of service. “These changes are a direct result of feedback from our domestic carrier customers on what they need to attract more over-the-road freight to a truck-rail intermodal solution,” said George Duggan, BNSF vice president, Domestic Intermodal. One of the changes includes reducing transit time by 7 to 10 hours on BNSF’s premier Transcontinental route between Los Angeles/San Bernardino and Chicago, giving customers a morning availability and allowing for same day delivery.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. reported quarterly earnings of $1.55 per diluted share, which included a tax benefit of $0.25 per share related to the fourth-quarter donation of a portion of a line segment located in Washington State. This compared to fourth-quarter 2008 earnings of $1.78 per diluted share, which included a fuel surcharge lag benefit of about $200 million. “We have seen some improvement in volumes during the second half of 2009 and expect this gradual improvement to continue,” said Matthew K. Rose, BNSF Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “BNSF will continue to position
FORT WORTH, Texas — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the company’s acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. In all, preliminary results show that approximately 70 percent of BNSF issued and outstanding shares not owned by Berkshire or its affiliates were voted in favor of the transaction, above the 66 2/3 percent required. Additionally, holders of at least a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of BNSF voted in favor. Both of these votes were required under Delaware law to adopt the merger agreement and were reported at a shareholder meeting held today at BNSF
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Joseph Szabo on Jan. 12 announced historic safety regulations requiring that Positive Train Control (PTC) technology be installed on the nation’s major rail lines as well as commuter and intercity passenger rail routes.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. reported quarterly earnings of $1.55 per diluted share, which included a tax benefit of $0.25 per share related to the fourth-quarter donation of a portion of a line segment located in Washington State. This compared to fourth-quarter 2008 earnings of $1.78 per diluted share, which included a fuel surcharge lag benefit of about $200 million. “We have seen some improvement in volumes during the second half of 2009 and expect this gradual improvement to continue,” said Matthew K. Rose, BNSF Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “BNSF will continue to position