BNSF preps for intermodal growth via West Coast ports

BNSF Railway Co. is prepared for increasing intermodal volume through U.S. West Coast ports now that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have reached a tentative labor agreement, the railroad announced late last week.

BNSF has made "key investments" over the past several years in preparation to support immediate and long-term volume growth for intermodal, which is the Class I’s largest segment with the most growth potential, said BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer in a press release.

Since 2019, BNSF has spent more than $2 billion on capital expansion, increasing the overall capacity of its tracks, rail cars and facilities. The investments have increased BNSF's mainline track capacity by 58 miles, totaling 30,000 feet for new production tracks and 6,000 new parking spaces at the Class I's intermodal facilities.

BNSF is also actively deploying new technologies to improve consistency, capacity and customer experience, company officials said.

Recently, BNSF expanded capacity at several of its intermodal facilities on the West Coast by increasing parking capacity at its Los Angeles intermodal facility by 500 spaces and installing new crane-stacking technology, as well as added transloading capacity in the Seattle region.

In addition, BNSF is continuing a multiyear project to increase efficiency at its San Bernardino intermodal facility in California’s Inland Empire region. Plus, the railroad has positioned 100 locomotives as a "ready fleet" across the West Coast and other strategic network locations to respond to any potential service disruptions.

Moreover, BNSF has expanded capacity and capabilities at inland locations, such as the intermodal facility in Alliance, Texas, where 3 miles of production tracks, over 2,000 parking spaces and a new multilane ingate have been added. Likewise, at Logistics Park Chicago, BNSF expanded the use of remotely operated cranes to maximize capacity and improve throughput, and increased parking capacity by 20% through continued expansion work at the BNSF Cicero intermodal facility.

BNSF also has secured approximately 2,000 additional parking stalls in secondary locations around its intermodal facilities to better handle volume surges. And this year, BNSF is continuing its project to add 45 miles of triple track between Barstow and Needles, California, with about 30 miles expected to come online this year.

"We're creating an integrated intermodal network, both physically and digitally, to ensure we are a supply-chain partner of choice into the future," said Tom Williams, group vice president of consumer products.