Class I Briefs: BNSF, CN

“The concentrated wind gusts at this location coming out of Abo Canyon [in New Mexico] have caused problems in the past,” reports Craig Rasmussen, BNSF Assistant Vice President of Engineering, Services and Structure. “Installing the wind screen will help by lowering the wind impact against the side of trains, which will help keep trains safely flowing through the area.” (BNSF Photograph)

BNSF crews install fencing at the Abo Canyon mountain pass to mitigate wind speed and boost safety. Also, CN Police signs the 30x30 Initiative pledge to add more women to the policing ranks.

BNSF

To help make its network more resistant to weather-related impacts and increase safety, BNSF reported via LinkedIn that its crews have installed a 1,300-foot wind fence along the track in Abo Canyon, N.Mex. Abo Canyon is a mountain pass through the Manzano Mountains in central New Mexico, where BNSF predecessor Santa Fee originally built track in 1908. The canyon “experiences high winds, always moving in one direction through the pass,” according to the Class I railroad, which said it designed the new screen to reduce the wind’s impact on operations.

“This project is a great example of how safety and service go hand in hand,” Craig Rasmussen, BNSF Assistant Vice President of Engineering, Services and Structure reported. “The concentrated wind gusts at this location coming out of Abo Canyon have caused problems in the past. Installing the wind screen will help by lowering the wind impact against the side of trains, which will help keep trains safely flowing through the area.”

Separately, BNSF recently announced continued plans to develop a new regional rail-served facility on approximately 4,321 acres in northwest Maricopa County near Phoenix, Ariz.

CN

The CN Police has teamed with the 30×30 Initiative to bolster the presence of women in policing, the Class I railroad reported via LinkedIn on June 19. “By signing the #30x30Pledge, we’re embarking on a journey to increase women recruits to 30% by 2030,” CN reported. “Together, let’s break barriers, inspire change, and create a more inclusive and representative law enforcement community!”

Currently, women make up only 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the U.S., according to the 30×30 Initiative, which is described as a New York-based coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations “working to advance the representation and experiences of women officers.” Hundreds of policing agencies in the federal, state and local metropolitan areas, as well as suburban and other offices, are said to belong to the group.

The 30×30 Initiative’s founding partners are the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), and other partners include the Crime and Justice Institute, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), National Policing Institute, International Association of Women Police (IAWP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), American Society of Evidence-Based Policing (ASEBP), Women Leaders in Law Enforcement (WLLE), New Blue Project, International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), and Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE).

Meanwhile, separate negotiations with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have been under way at intervals for CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, with the assistance of federal conciliators.