Progress to Restore Operations Following Winter Weather

The coldest night of the recent winter storm is now behind us across much of the southern portion of the BNSF network. As temperatures begin to moderate in those areas, cold-weather operating restrictions have been lifted across our southernmost regions, allowing crews to continue making progress in reducing backlogs and the number of trains holding. While the worst of the cold has passed, Arctic air remains in place across portions of the network, with continued cold conditions and thaw-and-freeze cycles expected as part of a prolonged cold pattern following the storm. These efforts are supported by 24-hour command centers operating across multiple divisions focused on managing recovery from the extreme weather.

While traffic moving across the Southern Transcon is expected to moderate midweek, the rest of the network is expected to be in a more balanced position by the end of the week; however, a full recovery is not anticipated until early next week.

Cold-weather restrictions are expected to be lifted on our northernmost routes by Friday. Crews continue working through production challenges at select locations, including Tulsa, Memphis, and North Fort Worth (Alliance Intermodal Facility), where operations have been limited due to lingering ice conditions.

Despite some near-term moderation, cold weather will remain a factor across northern portions of the network, with another surge of arctic air expected to move from the Plains into the East and Southeast Friday into Saturday. Additional locomotives are being positioned in these areas where train length restrictions will be needed due to extreme cold temperatures. BNSF teams remain prepared to respond quickly to any additional service disruptions as conditions evolve.

We are working collaboratively with customers to help manage their pipelines in the impacted areas. If you have questions regarding your shipments, please use the “Message Us” feature on the BNSF Customer Portal (registration and login required) or contact BNSF Customer Support at 1-888-428-2673. You may also reach out to your BNSF marketing representative with any questions.

We appreciate your patience, your business, and the opportunity to serve as your freight transportation provider.