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Introduction
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Every hour of every day, the wheels of the U.S. supply chain are in motion, moving
everything from the products that consumers use every day to the raw materials and
supplies that manufacturers need to make those goods. Rail connects manufacturers to
consumers and farmers to families, moving the products that
more
safely and more efficiently than any other form of surface transportation.
There is significant investment being made in rails. Berkshire Hathaway’s $34 billion
acquisition of BNSF signaled that railroads will be essential to the nation’s economic
growth. In 2012, according to the Association of American Railroads, seven North
America-based Class I freight railroads are on track to invest a record $13 billion to
expand, upgrade and enhance the U.S. freight rail network. Collectively, there are plans
to hire more than 15,000 people in 2012.
Improving returns have enabled BNSF to make robust investments to renew and expand
our network in response to increasing demand. In 2011, real gross domestic product
increased 1.7 percent, and the industrial production index rose more than twice as
much. In the same year, BNSF invested $3.5 billion to enhance our network and related
infrastructure. Investments that enable us to grow our company, improve service to
customers and respond to economic growth will continue, with a record $3.9 billion
capital investment planned by BNSF in 2012.
Message from Matt Rose