BNSF News

BNSF Team Working Sounder Commuter Rail Achieves 3,000 Injury-Free Days

2008-12-11

A group of BNSF conductors and engineers working on commuter service in Seattle has worked injury-free for 3,000 days – as long as the group has been in existence.

The BNSF team operates 24 commuter trains every weekday between Tacoma and Seattle and between Everett and Seattle; the number of trains is expected to grow to 26 in 2009. The team consists of 22 daily employees and another 20 freight employees who are qualified in commuter service and protect commuter extra lists. In addition to the weekday service, trains are provided for Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners games as well as other special events.

The service results from an agreement between Sound Transit (a public transportation authority) and BNSF. To accommodate the commuter operation and to increase BNSF freight capacity, Sound Transit invested more than $300 million in track and signal improvements between Tacoma and Seattle and more than $250 million between Everett and Seattle. On Oct. 31, all track and signal construction between Tacoma and Seattle was completed. Track and signal construction is still under way between Everett and Seattle.

In addition to the incredible achievement of 3,000 injury-free days, other indicators of the operation’s success are increasing ridership and consistent on-time performance.

• Ridership has grown more than 10 times during the eight years of operation and is currently at 11,000 customers per day (3 million customers per year).  
• On-time performance in 2008 has increased to a record 99 percent, a result of the commitment of the Northwest Division dispatchers and terminal operations teams.

Roger Jacobsen, superintendent, Commuter Services, said, “None of our team’s accomplishments would have been possible without the commitment and ownership of each conductor and engineer in making Sounder Commuter Rail a safe and first-class operation.  These individuals started when the operation ran only two trains per day, and when they finish their careers, they will always be able to look back with the satisfaction that Sounder’s operation will be enjoyed by millions of people for generations to come. They have handled the last 3,000 days with the utmost professionalism and represent BNSF as well as any group I’ve ever worked with. BNSF and Sound Transit are very fortunate to have such high quality people in Sounder service.”

BNSF Headquarters

For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com