A Track Record of Safety
- 99.9995% of bridge train miles occur without any type of service interruption.*
- 0.02% of service interruptions across our entire network are caused by a bridge being removed from service.*
- No derailments have been caused by the structural integrity of a bridge.
* Jan. 1, 2009 – Nov. 1, 2015
Federal Regulations
- The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requires railroads to have a Bridge Management Program to ensure the safety of railroad bridges.
- Programs must include a provision for inspecting every bridge in service annually, with no more than 540 days between inspections.
- The FRA audits the Bridge Management Programs and inspections records through document review and field verification.
Regular Comprehensive Inspections
- Comprehensive Inspections are thorough, visual, documented inspections encompassing the entire bridge structure.
- Bridges on BNSF’s core routes are typically inspected three times per year, exceeding FRA standards.
- BNSF’s expert, certified Railroad Bridge Inspectors performed more than 35,000 Comprehensive Inspections in 2015.
Commitment to Maintenance, Repair & Replacement
- In the rare instance a structural defect is identified, the bridge is removed from service until repaired or until a Special Inspection resolves the issue.
- Since 2012, BNSF has devoted more than $420 million on bridge maintenance and repair, repairing or replacing more than 340 bridge components and completely replacing more than 290 bridges.
- Since 2006, BNSF has devoted more than $1 billion to rail bridge capital investments.
Supplemental Inspection Technology
- BNSF owns six and leases two Bridge Inspection Vehicles (BIVs) that are specially equipped to allow safe access to inspect the entire bridge structure; BIVs conduct more than 600 inspections per year.
- When a portion of the bridge foundation is underwater, BNSF deploys a team of divers to inspect.
- BNSF also conducts supplemental bridge inspections using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
