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Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway said on Thursday that its Los Angeles Hobart Intermodal Facility, which handles the world’s largest quantity of domestic intermodal freight, set an on-time departure record of 94% in 2023, easily surpassing the 2012 high of 86%.
The results were achieved all while completing the safest year on record for accidents and injuries.
“This achievement is a testament to strong local team execution, commitment to continuous improvement and the ongoing investments BNSF is making in Southern California,” said BNSF California Division General Manager Richard Dennison in a statement.
BNSF has expanded capacity at Hobart by 500 spaces and installed new crane stacking technology, according to a press release. Additionally, BNSF is continuing a multiyear project to increase efficiency at its San Bernardino intermodal facility in the Inland Empire and has positioned 100 locomotives as a “ready fleet” across the West Coast and other strategic network locations to respond to any potential service disruptions.
In 2023, BNSF completed a project to add a total of approximately 45 miles of triple track between Barstow and Needles, California.
BNSF is also continuing development on the Barstow International Gateway, a more than $1.5 billion master-planned rail facility that will be the first of its kind in the U.S. Once complete, the facility will lower supply chain costs, reduce carbon emissions, reduce dwell at ports and provide a lower cost rail move to an inland transload facility as compared to the current truck move to existing facilities.
On the technology side, BNSF is investing in cleaner technologies, such as electric hostlers, as well as Load Plan Optimizer and Automated Yard Checks to improve efficiency.
Said Dennison: “BNSF remains focused on adapting to the evolving supply chain through our new service offerings and ongoing capital investments to ensure we are positioned to accommodate the growth in Southern California and across our network.”