Big Skies & Iron Rails, Branch Lines and Locals

Branch line and local trains deliver goods to big and small towns everywhere. These routes are important arteries in the nation’s economic lifeline, especially to remote areas. While we use the term “last mile”, sometimes a local will traverse many miles to get cargo from main line railroad distribution yards to Main Street, USA. Take […]

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Big Skies & Iron Rails, Branch Lines and Locals

Branch line and local trains deliver goods to big and small towns everywhere. These routes are important arteries in the nation’s economic lifeline, especially to remote areas. While we use the term “last mile”, sometimes a local will traverse many miles to get cargo from main line railroad distribution yards to Main Street, USA. Take […]

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Improperly aligned derail led to BNSF derailment in Washington

Locomotive on its side at night

ANACORTES, Wash. — An improperly aligned derail was responsible for the derailment of a BNSF Railway train on the Swinomish Reservation last week, a Federal Railroad Administration representative told a local National Public Radio station. KUOW radio reports the derail, which is mean to keep trains from proceeding when a swing bridge over a portion […]

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Big Skies & Iron Rails, Branch Lines and Locals

Branch line and local trains deliver goods to big and small towns everywhere. These routes are important arteries in the nation’s economic lifeline, especially to remote areas. While we use the term “last mile”, sometimes a local will traverse many miles to get cargo from main line railroad distribution yards to Main Street, USA. Take […]

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The search for real heritage locomotives

dark, multi-colored train with overcast sky

Heritage locomotives Over the last few decades, railroads have rolled out dozens of specially painted locomotives. Whether they were wrapped or painted, we’re fortunate to live in an era where honoring a company’s past is so visual. We are also lucky we live in an era where paint booths are far and few between and […]

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BNSF main line reopens in Arizona

BNSF Railway logo

TOPOCK, Ariz. — BNSF Railway has reopened its Southern Transcon main line near the Arizona-California state line following a Wednesday derailment, the railroad said in a customer advisory today (Saturday, March 18). That derailment occurred about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday near Topock, about 11 miles southeast of Needles, Calif., on the Seligman Subdivision. It involved eight […]

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BNSF reaches paid sick days agreement with boilermakers union

Logo of International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

FORT WORTH, Texas – BNSF Railway has reached a paid sick time agreement with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, the railroad announced today. BNSF said the deal was part of larger ongoing discussions about modernizing the work environment. Seven of BNSF’s 12 labor unions are now covered by paid sick leave agreements. Building upon existing […]

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BNSF derailment spills fuel in Washington state

Locomotive on its side at night

ANACORTES, Wash. — Two locomotives and at least one railcar of a BNSF Railway train derailed early Thursday morning near Anacortes, leading to a spill of fuel from the overturned diesels, the Seattle Times reports. No injuries were reported. The railroad said the cause of the derailment was under investigation The Washington Department of Ecology, […]

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BNSF train derails in Arizona

BNSF Railway logo

TOPOCK, Ariz. — Derailed cars of BNSF Railway train that derailed Wednesday night were carrying corn syrup, the railroad reports, correcting initial reports from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office that hazardous materials were on board. CNN reports that BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent told the news network that the derailment occurred about 7:40 p.m. near the […]

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BNSF reopens San Joaquin Valley route

BNSF Railway logo

WASCO, Calif. — BNSF has reopened its main line on the Bakersfield Subdivision in the San Joaquin Valley, the railroad reports in a service update to customers. The route, closed since approximately 1:30 p.m. PST on Saturday because of a washout, was reopened at 12:07 a.m. PDT today (Monday, March 13). There was no immediate […]

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