BNSF Railway News

NTSB: Feed Truck Shifted Track Before Kansas Amtrak Accident

A truck used to deliver feed to a business where cattle are fattened hit a train track and shifted it at least a foot before an Amtrak train derailed in southwest Kansas and injured at least 32 people, an investigator …

Investigators Looking at Rail Condition in Kansas Amtrak Derailment

Investigators looking into the derailment of an Amtrak passenger train in southwest Kansas will review rail conditions and other factors to determine the cause of the accident, a federal transportation official says. Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was carrying more than 140 …

At Least 32 Injured in Amtrak Train Derailment in Kansas

An engineer noticed a significant bend in a rail and applied the emergency brakes before a passenger train derailed in western Kansas early on March 14, an official said. The Amtrak train apparently was travelling at about 75 mph when …

Montana Bar to Blame for Woman Who Stole Truck And Died in Crash, Railway Says

BNSF Railway is suing a Whitefish, Mont. bar for allegedly over-serving a woman who stole a company truck and was killed when she crashed it into a tree. The Flathead Beacon reported the lawsuit claims Casey’s Bar & Casino is …

Former Railway Workers File Asbestos Suit Against BNSF in Oregon

Three former employees have sued BNSF Railway, claiming they suffer from lung disease caused by job-related exposure to asbestos. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Portland, Ore. says the men had to work with and around items that contained asbestos while …

Washington Train Company Sues BNSF for at Least $41M

Two top officials of defunct refrigerated rail service Cold Train are suing BNSF Railway in Washington for $41 million for putting them out of business. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Spokane on Tuesday. Capital Press reported that …

Buffett’s BNSF Railway Considering Safer Oil Tank Cars

BNSF Railway Co., the railroad owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is reconsidering a plan to buy 5,000 oil-tank cars built to new safety standards after some customers voiced concern about the initiative. “At first everybody applauded us for …

North Dakota Town, BNSF Railway Reach Deal on Train Speeds

Train speeds were to begin increasing through Devils Lake, N.D., on Nov. 5 under a deal between the city and BNSF Railway that also calls for safety upgrades. The railroad last summer informed the city that it planned to double …

BNSF Settles Lawsuit with Montana City Over Contamination

BNSF Railway has settled a lawsuit filed by landowners living near a former railroad tie treatment plant near Somers, Mont. BNSF spokesman Matt Jones told the Flathead Beacon the settlement reached last month calls for the company to buy most …

Buffett Says Rail Industry Concerned Over Oil Transport Safety

Warren Buffett, chairman of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, said on Wednesday that safety is a major priority for the rail industry, after a recent spate of accidents raised concerns about how to transport oil safely. “I can tell you that’s all …