The Burlington Northern Sante Fe railroad — one of the leading rail freight carriers in the US –announced that it plans to step up its winter preparedness measures in anticipation of another winter of record cold temperatures and snowfalls.
Last winter was one of the most severe winters on record. Much of the extreme temperatures that persisted for long periods was blamed on the polar vortex. Like many companies, the railroad was taken by surprise by the ferocity and persistence of last year’s winter.
That won’t happen again this year, said Steve Bobb, BNSF’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
“While we always prepare the operations for winter, the extreme cold experienced last year provided us some additional insight that we have incorporated into our future preparations and operating procedures,” Bobb said in a company news release. “We know that customers depend on BNSF for reliable freight transportation. While unplanned events can always happen, we will go into this winter season with more resources and more preparation than ever before so that our people stay safe amid the harshest of weather conditions and our customers’ freight gets to its destination as promised.”
Plans include employee safety meetings to review hypothermia and frostbite prevention, an inventory of snow removal equipment ans supplies — including emergency generators and salt supplies — and the testing of snow removal equipment to make sure it works properly.