Automotive Network Update for Friday, November 22, 2024

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
BNSF is currently addressing winter weather conditions affecting the Northern Corridor. High wind watches and flood advisories are currently in effect for Northern California and parts of Oregon due to a series of powerful storm systems impacting the Pacific Northwest this week. Our teams are closely monitoring flood-prone areas and are prepared to respond promptly to any service interruptions, ensuring the safety and reliability of our operations.

Additionally, a winter weather advisory has been issued for Montana due to an influx of cold weather. It is expected that temperatures will drop to the low teens and even below zero in certain northern areas of the state. Cold temperatures, along with freezing rain and snowfall, are projected through the weekend. Winter Action Plans have been activated, and train length restrictions have been implemented. These restrictions, along with distributed locomotive power, help improve train braking system performance in cold weather conditions. Customers with shipments designated to move through the region should expect to see some delays until conditions improve. 

Temperature fluctuations in the Southwest and parts of the Midwest led to track issues on the Southern Transcon route between New Mexico and Kansas this week. Thanks to the efforts of our engineering teams to make the necessary repairs, we expect operations to improve over the weekend in advance of increased holiday shipping volumes.

Despite these challenges, overall car velocity increased slightly from the prior week and remains consistent with October. The average terminal dwell was also slightly lower than the previous week; however, it reflects a nearly two percent decrease from last month. Our local service compliance measure continues to improve, exceeding 90%.

CAPITAL EXPANSION UPDATE
This week, the last 3.5 of nearly 51 miles of double track went into service on our Emporia Subdivision in eastern Kansas, with the installation of this key segment between Rose Hill and Mulvane, Kansas. Thanks to the hard work of BNSF engineering teams, the track was completed on time to support the peak shipping season on our Southern Transcon. Read more about this multi-year expansion project to improve capacity and train flows on the Transcon.

THANKSGIVING OPERATING PLAN
BNSF will operate automotive trains over the holiday and our automotive facilities will remain fully staffed and open for haulaway during normal scheduled hours. Due to lighter traffic volumes over the holiday, we anticipate some extending of our service schedules as we consolidate volumes to fill trains. We expect shipments arriving from Wednesday, November 27, through Monday, December 2, may experience delays of up to 48 hours.

Customer Support will maintain a limited staff on Thanksgiving Day and Friday, November 29. Normal coverage will resume on Saturday, November 30.

Please click here for information on the Automotive Thanksgiving Operating Plan.

SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Next week, we expect seasonable operating conditions to return to the North and to continue across much of our network. Although no major winter storms are forecasted, some rain and snow may occur in the higher elevations of the interior Pacific Northwest during the first half of the holiday week. Additionally, we anticipate some snowfall in the Rockies and the Denver metro area midweek. BNSF operating teams will make any necessary adjustments to ensure safe operations. 
 
We thank you for your business and appreciate the opportunity to serve as your transportation service provider. We welcome your feedback and questions.