Contributing Editor Bruce Kelly captures the growth of BNSF's grain haul this summer: a westbound grain train at left in Marshall, Wash., just outside of Spokane, passing an empty grain train seemingly on its way to reload in BNSF's record crop summer.
John Miller, BNSF's VP of Agricultural Products, notes the record number of shuttle trains scheduled in crop country this summer: 130 shuttle trains of grain shipped or scheduled to be shipped in July and August, and another 137 such unit trains of 110-cars committed for the fall harvest of corn, soybeans and other late season crops.
BNSF typically hauls more agricultural commodities and products than any other rail carrier in the nation, but this year, as oil and coal shipping decline, has proven exceptional as we go into harvest season.