Intermodal Network Update for Friday, September 23, 2022

Date
Sep 23, 2022

BNSF operating teams remain engaged in generating improved service performance across our network while responding to multiple service challenges this week. One incident yesterday, at Alva, Oklahoma, approximately 115 miles southwest of Wichita, caused delays on our Southern Transcon.

This morning, operating teams responded to a bridge fire on our Avard Subdivision, approximately 65 miles west of Tulsa, Oklahoma. While fire personnel arrived promptly on the scene and extinguished the fire, the bridge and track sustained significant damage. The mainline is currently out of service, BNSF engineering teams and equipment are on-site, and track and bridge restoration efforts remain ongoing. Customers with shipments designated to move through this corridor should expect delays until operations through the area have normalized.

In Canada, on early Saturday morning, 200 dock and warehouse workers affiliated with the local International Warehouse and Longshore Union (ILWU) went on strike at Westshore Terminal’s coal export terminal at the Port of Vancouver. BNSF currently has a significant number of loaded coal trains waiting to enter the terminal, impacting traffic moving through the Pacific Northwest region. BNSF teams are closely monitoring the situation and are working with customers to divert the trains and keep freight moving through the busy region.

Seasonable conditions are expected across much of the network during the next several days, with no significant service interruptions due to weather anticipated at this time.

INTERMODAL UPDATE
We have seen continued improvement in our intermodal service and velocity over the past several weeks. BNSF operating teams remain focused on sustaining this momentum across the intermodal network.

With the start of the fall peak shipping season, we continue to seek out collaborative solutions with customers to advance supply chain efficiency and service performance. Across the network, intermodal velocity has shown strong improvement.

We remain challenged at select inland intermodal hubs due to chassis availability driven by long street turn times. This reduces our ability to unload trains and provide the space needed for processing inbound freight as expeditiously as possible. We greatly appreciate those customers who can implement flexible receiving hours to assist carriers.

BNSF has multiple tools available for customers to track their shipments. Please contact your BNSF marketing representative if you have any questions.

As always, we thank you for your business and appreciate the opportunity to serve as your transportation service provider. We welcome your feedback and questions.