BNSF adds Northern Lines, Columbia Basin railroads to short-line program

BNSF Railway yesterday announced it added two short lines, Northern Lines Railway (NLR) and Columbia Basin Railroad (CBRW), to its Shortline Select^™ program.

Announced by BNSF in the fall of 2024, the program combines the customized service of short lines with BNSF's 32,500-mile freight-rail network that spans 28 states and three Canadian provinces. The program’s genesis was BNSF’s interest in increasing carload volume by working more closely with smaller railroads that provide first- and last-mile service for customers.

“Both NLR and CBRW exemplify BNSF’s dedication to dependable, integrated service and share our focus on supporting customer success through collaborative growth," said BNSF General Director of Marketing Mark Ganaway in a press release.

As participants of the program, short lines collaborate with BNSF on economic development and growth initiatives through BNSF's Premier Transload program, a network of more than 400 transloaders on the BNSF system. The also have access to the BNSF Certified Sites program, which designates rail-ready industrial sites that are pre-approved for development.

By participating in the program, CBRW can advance improved services to its customers, said Tim Enayati, the short line's vice president of commercial development.

“This collaboration with BNSF enables greater efficiency through data sharing and integrated solutions that drive safer, more reliable, and more efficient service for our customers across the CBRW network,” Enayati said. "By focusing on improving key operational metrics with BNSF, we can deliver meaningful improvements for our customers moving time-sensitive commodities, including agriculture and food products."

NLR's participation in Shortline Select is an opportunity to build on its longtime connection with BNSF, according to NLR Senior Director of Sales and Marketing Katie Sackett.

"Our two-decade relationship with BNSF has always been focused on supporting safe, efficient and green supply chain options for our customers, and this new initiative is a welcome next step," she said.

Other current program members are the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway, Burlington Junction Railway, Portland & Western Railway, Texas Northwestern Railroad, Timber Rock Railroad and Red River Valley & Western Railroad. 

For more information about Shortline Select, check out this RailPrime feature.