The Man Helping MT AG Industry Thrive

BNSF Railway has a deep and vital connection to our nation’s agriculture industry, and maintaining that bond depends heavily on the hard work of our ombudsmen. These team members serve as a bridge between the railway, customers, producers, and shippers. Every day, they collaborate with agricultural partners to solve problems and overcome challenges that could

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Young Railfan’s Big Adventure

Railfans come in all ages. For 11-year-old Jacob Meissner from Laurel, Montana, his love for trains started almost from day one, watching Thomas the Tank Engine and playing with his Thomas model railroads. As he grew, so did his passion—his model railroad collection grew right along with him, and he dove into train documentaries and

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BNSF Welcomes Aboard Family and Friends

It’s not every day you see a BNSF train pulling passenger cars through town. Every few years, BNSF trades its usual cargo for a leisurely ride with employees, and their families and friends. The train makes stops across the country, hauling around a dozen or so passenger cars, and most recently, the family-friendly train was

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Award-Winning Culture of Safety

The “Track to Zero” awards have been announced! The Montana Department of Transportation was one of four state Departments of Transportation to receive this special recognition for its dedication to improving grade crossing safety in communities across the state. This inaugural awards initiative, the first of its kind, aims to reduce grade crossing incidents across

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Generations of Safe Railroad Leadership

The Hampson family’s connection to the railroad spans multiple generations. Current torchbearer, Ben Hampson, began his career as an electrician with Montana Rail Link in 2004, which has since merged with BNSF to become the MRL subdivision. Growing up, Ben’s father instilled in him a passion for railroading and a commitment to safety. Their home

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Marent Gulch Trestle: A Historic Testament to Engineering Brilliance

Built in 1883 as part of the expansion of the Northern Pacific Railway, the Marent Gulch Trestle stands today as a historic testament to engineering brilliance. Initially a wooden structure designed by C.C. Schneider, the 797-foot-long trestle was the world’s tallest wooden trestle at 226 feet when it was completed in 1883. Fears of fire

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Wreaths Placed on Gravestones of Whitefish-area Veterans

In a gesture of thanks to all military veterans for their service, volunteers placed memorial wreaths on the graves of U.S. military veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 16. Wreaths were placed this year for the first time in Whitefish, Montana. BNSF’s Dustin Wegner, a signal electronics technician, veteran, and vice commander of

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MRL and BNSF: Big Happenings in the Big Sky State

As of the start of January, BNSF’s collaboration with Montana Rail Link (MRL) has now become the MRL Subdivision of BNSF’s Montana Division. This marks a new chapter in the longstanding partnership, which can now focus on stronger outcomes for customers, employees, and communities across Montana, Idaho, and Washington. The move aims to enhance capacity

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Safety First

For BNSF, the safety of the communities we serve across our 32,500-mile route network, as well as our 37,000 employees, remains the highest priority. This commitment is reflected in our performance in 2023, a record year for workplace safety in the company’s 175-year history. We achieved this safety milestone through a groundbreaking Transportation Safety Agreement,

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Laying the Track for a Clean Energy Future

Turning used restaurant cooking oil and other organic waste into fuel may just be the modern equivalent of turning lemons into lemonade. Recognizing the benefits of these materials, BNSF is actively involved in the biofuels industry, including transporting unconventional feedstocks that are increasingly recognized for their role in sustainable energy production. It’s a business that’s

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