Annual Program Honors Those Who Made a Difference Employees of the Year

Transcription

1 The Employee Magazine of Team BNSF MAY/JUNE Employees of the Year Annual Program Honors Those Who Made a Difference In 2007, nearly 400 BNSF Achievement Awards were presented to members of Team BNSF. Of those, 24 outstanding individual and team achievements, representing 105 employees, were selected as best reflecting BNSF s Vision and Values and strategic initiatives last year. These employees, along with six Safety Employees of the Year and representatives of 26 work groups demonstrating Best of the Best in safety last year, were honored during the Employees of the Year Program in April. Inside this issue of Railway, read how your co-workers efforts are making BNSF a better, more efficient and safer place to work. Improving Our Safety Vice President, Safety, Training and Operations Support Mark Schulze reports on BNSF s progress against its safety goals for the year and reviews two safety focus topics, overexertion and summertime safety. Page 7 Meeting Around Safety BNSF s Transportation leadership team, safety coordinators and labor leaders continue a safety dialogue by hosting roundtable discussions. The leaders recently met to address and seek solutions to safety issues. Page 8 Closing in on 4,000 BNSF s Grade Crossing Closure team manages a crossingclosure program that leads the industry. The team is approaching the closure of the 4,000th crossing since the initiative began in Page 10

2 Our vision is to realize the tremendous potential of BNSF Railway Company by providing transportation services that consistently meet our customers expectations. Railway Staff VP, Corporate Relations Mary Jo Keating General Director, Internal Communications Kristen Rabe Editor Susan Green Contributing Photographers Jeff Buehner and Anthony Johnson Got a story idea? Send story ideas to BNSF Railway Editor, via Outlook to: Communications, Corporate, or send by Internet to: susan.green@bnsf.com or mail to: BNSF Corporate Relations P.O. Box , Texas Address Changes Employees: To review your address, call company line or dial or review and change your address online via BNSF s Intranet site at employee.bnsf.com. Go to the My Self page, click on Life Events, Personal Changes, then Change of Address. Or you may complete and return a Personal Information Change Form (#12796) to the administrative office; mail it to Human Resources Information Systems, P.O. Box , Fort Worth, Texas ; or fax it to Retirees: Send address changes and requests to receive Railway after you retire to BNSF Corporate Relations, P.O. Box ,, Texas Please include your former employee ID number. Congratulations to 2007 BNSF Employees of the Year At BNSF, people make the difference whether it s the foreman who designed a device to make a work process safer or the team that helped the company to save millions of dollars. These are but two of the outstanding accomplishments for which BNSF people were honored with Achievement Awards last year and whose accomplishments were recognized during the 2007 Employees of the Year (EOY) program. The two-day annual EOY event was held in early April in and honored 137 employees, including BNSF s top 105 Achievement Award recipients, six Safety Employees of the Year and 26 representatives from teams who showed exemplary safety performance in The year 2007 was a year of challenges and successes. In a difficult economic environment, the strength of BNSF was evident as our dedicated employees once again delivered reliable service, captured market opportunities and controlled costs, said Matt Rose, chairman, president and CEO, during an awards ceremony. Our success rests on the quality of our people and our sensitivity to the needs and concerns of our shippers, our investors and our communities. I credit your dedication, focus and resilience for our successes in Achievement Award Winners Most of the employees recognized at the EOY program were selected from those who earned a 2007 BNSF Achievement Award, which is the highest form of recognition at BNSF. Developed in 1999, Achievement Awards honor employees who go above and beyond to demonstrate BNSF Vision and Values. The 105 Achievement Award winners at this year s EOY event represented 24 individual and team achievements. For the 2007 EOY program, the BNSF Leadership Team reviewed all Achievement Award winners and selected those who best represented BNSF s Vision and Values. Those teams or individuals selected by the Leadership Team were then presented to the Executive Team for review and approval. A total of 387 employees received Achievement Awards in (For more information about the Achievement Award program and the nomination process, please see the Q&A on Page 12.) The successes honored were as varied as the individuals. Not all team members were able to attend, so team representatives are indicated in some of the larger groups. Here are the top Achievement Award recipients honored at the 2007 EOY by Strategic Focus Area category (franchise, service, return, people and community): Franchise Balance resources to promote growth and support stable products and services Develop new products and services Enter into relationships, partnerships, alliances and mergers that improve our company ON THE COVER Some of the 2007 Employees of the Year honorees Top row, L to R: June Arnold, systems engineer Brian Berreth, carman Ed Herrera, project manager Terry Nies, trainmaster Middle row, L to R: Brett Petersen, foreman John Plucinski, foreman Joel Reagor, truck driver Bottom row, L to R: Carlos Reyes, senior systems developer II George Rocha, safety assistant Ken Sears, commuter train conductor Gerald Urfer, signal safety assistant BNSF/CSXT Haulage Agreement As the world s largest intermodal carrier, BNSF provides the quickest and most direct routes and is a dependable transportation network supplier. BNSF is a leader, in part, because of the men and women who work daily to keep our railroad at the forefront. Through the cooperative efforts of a cross-functional team, BNSF completed and implemented a new haulage agreement with CSX Transportation (CSXT). Because of that agreement, BNSF now has a high-volume rail corridor that covers the southeastern region of the country. The assignment was not easy. This team faced many challenges and had a very aggressive timeline, beginning in 2006 and finishing in January Front row, left to right: Doug Gruben, Dan Rigdon, Sarah Bailiff, Carlos Reyes and Robert Moore; Back row: Aaron Cook, Kyle Ross, Darrell Coffey, Steve Salzman and Bob Hart. Developing one of BNSF s most complex haulage agreements thus far, this team worked to negotiate the agreement, integrate the CSXT and BNSF systems, establish the physical operation in Atlanta, and tackle a host of issues including service standards, hub operations, liability, economics and many more. The result is a seamless experience for customers, and now BNSF is the only railroad to offer single-line service between the West Coast and Atlanta. 2 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE 2008

3 The 21 team members are: Waleed Alattas, senior systems developer II, Technology Services, Linda Auge, director, Cost & Profitability Systems, Finance, Sarah Bailiff,* (formerly) senior general attorney II, Law, Fletcher Bornschlegl, senior systems developer II, Technology Services, Chuck Burriss, regional director, Marketing, Kansas City, Kan. Dave Cinotto, senior manager, Service Design, Marketing, Darrell Coffey,* manager, Product Plan and Development, Marketing, Aaron Cook,* manager II, Technology Services, Topeka, Kan. Don Foltz, manager, Equipment Utilization, Marketing, Doug Gruben,* manager, Intermodal Systems, Marketing, Bob Hart,* manager II, Technology Services, Richard Kolnberger, manager, Revenue Management, Finance, St. Paul, Minn. Rhianna Lydick, analyst, Car Accounting, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Robert Moore,* manager, Hub Operations II, Marketing, Atlanta Karen Rekieta, director, Product Plan and Development, Marketing, Carlos Reyes,* senior systems developer II, Technology Services, Dan Rigdon,* terminal manager, Transportation, Birmingham, Ala. Kyle Ross,* director, Technology Services, Steve Salzman,* director, Network Strategy, Network Development, Dan Sanders, senior manager, Car Accounting, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Mary Schroll, manager, Haulage Management, Network Development, * team representative at EOY International Intermodal in China Last year, Marketing s International Intermodal Department targeted China as an area where BNSF could grow. An emerging economic giant, China represents endless possibilities, and BNSF has a true brand ambassador working there and also throughout all of Asia. As BNSF s chief representative and director of International Service, Michelle Liu is strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders in the Chinese global supply chain on our behalf. From her base in Shanghai, last year, Liu set specific objectives to open new markets in automotive and agricultural-related business. To do this, she hosted numerous high-level Chinese government and customer delegations. As a sign of her success in promoting BNSF, Chinese government representatives, customers, supply chain partners and media now seek her out because they recognize that BNSF is, in fact, the leading supplier of premium intermodal services in North America. Division Reporting Tool BNSF wants to ensure that all employees not only understand applicable safety rules, but that they also consistently apply those rules. Operations tests are conducted to help reinforce important safe behaviors. For testing to have an impact, the results need to be recorded as part of Safety Action Plans and other safety initiatives. Increasingly, the Division Reporting Tool (DRT) is the tool of choice used at the system and the division levels, thanks to two employees Ron Johnson, terminal superintendent, Amarillo, Texas, and Jeremiah Rooks, trainmaster, Newton, Kan. They have logged many hours of their own time, developing this tool, while working full time. The DRT began as a simple Microsoft Excel application, but under Johnson s and Rooks development, this tool now incorporates macros, buttons and embedded calls to the Data Warehouse. The DRT also queries operations testing data and compares the results with testing initiatives. The reports also help BNSF measure progress against Jeremiah Rooks, left, and Ron Johnson. strategic safety initiatives. Just as importantly, these reports also open communication between division leaders and front-line supervisors on preventing accidents and incidents. Service Meet customer expectations (damage-free, ease of service, etc.) Maximize velocity to increase capacity and improve customer service Wind Tower Moves While many BNSF trains already move coal, BNSF is increasingly involved in another energy source wind power, which is generated from large fan blades mounted to tall steel towers. The Vestas Group of Denmark is shipping wind towers to North America and then moving them to their buyers across the continent. Because of the efforts of Beverly Stephens, a senior Customer Support analyst in, Vestas is now moving their wind towers across BNSF tracks. This business has the potential over the next two years to exceed $15 million in revenue. Stephens helped secure the Vestas business by studying wind tower moves from Vancouver, Wash., to Chicago on another railroad and then researching the reasons why these towers were not being cleared on BNSF. In her research on her own time, she found a clear route. When BNSF moved the first Vestas tower, Stephens watched the move through the night and that weekend, updating everyone involved with the estimated arrival time. As this project progressed, Stephens researched alternative routes and has been able to open up the West Coast to this longhaul business. Vehicle Replacement Process BNSF is in constant motion, whether it s moving trains, transporting people or embarking on a capital expansion project. But getting people from Point A to Point B usually requires company vehicles. Working collaboratively, team members from Engineering and Strategic Sourcing & Supply improved the process for replacing company vehicles. Previously, when BNSF scanned the fleet to determine which vehicles needed replacing, the inquiry would take about three months, was manually intensive and produced inaccurate results. The team set out to improve the accuracy of and reduce the time spent in selecting fleet replacements. With assistance from service provider ARI, the team developed a comprehensive vehicle replacement analysis model, or V-RAM for short. Front row, left to right: Steve Fluck, Ed Herrera, Brenda Thowe and Tom Neeser; Back row: Doug Perry, Ron Radika and Scott Maddox. Not pictured: Greg Dunaway. Using V-RAM, BNSF now evaluates each vehicle in the fleet based on various criteria, such as age, mileage, lifetime maintenance costs, repair downtime and the vehicle s criticality to the operation. Using this method, in less than a week, BNSF can pinpoint vehicles to replace. When the team benchmarked V-RAM against the previous method, they found that vehicles selected under the former method had more than $2 million in additional maintenance expenses annually and 40 percent more repair events. Because of this team s attention to detail, ARI now recognizes V-RAM as the industryleading method of selecting vehicles for replacement, and they are using this new tool to positively impact other company fleets. The team members are: Greg Dunaway, division engineer, Engineering, Fargo, N.D. Steve Fluck, roadmaster (retired), Engineering, Carlton, Minn. Ed Herrera, project manager, Strategic Sourcing & Supply, Scott Maddox, senior implementation leader, Engineering, Tom Neeser, roadmaster, Engineering, Sioux Falls, S.D. Doug Perry, division engineer, Engineering, Minneapolis Ron Radika, roadmaster (retired), Engineering, St. Cloud, Minn. Brenda Thowe, project manager, Strategic Sourcing & Supply, Crew Transportation Transporting crews is essential, but, unfortunately, the process used to arrange transportation was outdated and fragmented. For example, to arrange for crew pickup, various parties would call the service provider. These calls were coming from train dispatchers, crew support personnel, field supervisors or train crews. Because the request was often made by multiple parties over the phone, the requests typically weren t recorded and invoices were difficult to validate. A cross-functional team comprised of members from Strategic Sourcing & Supply, Technology Services (TS), Transportation, Network Control Systems, Safety & Technical Training, Crew Support and Value Engineering & Strategic Analysis looked into this process. This team worked on standardizing and automating the crew transport process, and they did it remarkably well. The result is a seamless interface between TS and the VANS system for transportation requests. Because requests are automated, Crew Support is realizing a significant reduction in its workload. Trips are better RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE

4 Front row, left to right: Reginald Fultz, Lynn Frazier, Jenny Moore, June Arnold and Kelly Henry-Luedtke; Back row: Richard Kopp, Bob Newlun and Larry Kurz. Not pictured: Don Davis and Gaurav Dua. optimized and have been reduced by 15 percent. That reduction amounts to a projected annual cost savings of about $5 million. Additionally, because the data is captured, BNSF can measure supplier performance and validate invoices for services. The team that developed a process that will benefit other employees includes: June Arnold,* systems engineer, Technology Services, Wendy Banister, manager, Crew Processes, Crew Support, Ed Blass, corridor superintendent, Transportation, Tim Byram, manager, Dispatcher Practices & Rules, Safety & Technical Training, Jennifer Corum, manager, Crew Support, Don Davis,* manager, Network Control Systems, Gaurav Dua,* systems developer, Technology Services, Lynn Frazier,* director, Strategic Sourcing & Supply, Reginald Fultz,* systems developer, Technology Services, Chad Gutierrez, manager, Dispatcher Practices & Rules, Safety & Technical Training, Kelly Henry-Luedtke,* manager, Strategic Sourcing & Supply, Richard Kopp,* assistant chief dispatcher, Transportation, Larry Kurz,* assistant chief dispatcher, Transportation, John Marshall, manager, Dispatcher Practices & Rules, Safety & Technical Training, Julie McMahan, manager II, Technology Services, Jenny Moore,* assistant chief dispatcher, Transportation, Bob Newlun,* senior manager, Dispatcher Training, Safety & Technical Training, Melissa Stadler, manager, Corridor Operations, Transportation, Lance Wolf, chief dispatcher, Transportation, * team representative at EOY Days Sales Outstanding and Freight Receivables Team Without customers paying their bills, BNSF wouldn t be in business long. One team ensured that our company received payment for billings that hadn t yet been paid. Last year, BNSF transitioned accounts receivable work from St. Paul, Minn., to Topeka, Kan. At the same time, a team was formed with the challenge of lowering the number of delinquent daily sales bills and collecting freight receivables that were past the credit terms. Left to right: Bill Neary, Mark Vose, Esther Roush and Stan Mead. Not pictured: Gladys Boeth. The team more than met the challenge. Within 10 months, 90-day outstanding accounts were reduced by $2.5 million, the team all the while exhibiting the utmost professionalism. The group that achieved these groundbreaking results included: Gladys Boeth, supervisor, Accounts Receivable, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Stan Mead, account representative, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Bill Neary, account representative, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Esther Roush, account representative, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Mark Vose, account representative, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Bearing Change-out on EMD Locomotives The Mechanical Department s job is to ensure that locomotives are maintained, and maintained to the extent that they can perform at peak velocity. Last year, the department knew that it needed to replace the bearings on 600 EMD locomotives to avoid catastrophic failures. Previously, replacing these bearings was an arduous manual task that would normally require two people and take an entire shift. Bearing parts were heavy to lift, and crews had to work in a confined space to perform these change-outs. A group of individuals at the Northtown (Minneapolis) facility began attacking this problem. Over the course of several months, in addition to their regular duties, this team began collaborative discussions about designs to accomplish these change-outs more safely and more efficiently. After dogged trial and Left to right: Bob Johnson, Stephen Lee, Dan Ryan, Ronald Kleinkopf and Oren Burckhardt. error, the team developed a crane-lifting device that greatly diminishes the potential risk of manually removing the bearing. Throughput was increased from one change per shift to two changes per shift. The design has been rolled out across the system and the bearings on about 300 of these locomotives have now been changed, thanks to this team s efforts: Oren Burckhardt, machinist, Mechanical, Minneapolis Bob Johnson, machinist, Mechanical, Minneapolis Ronald Kleinkopf, general foreman II, Mechanical, Minneapolis Stephen Lee, machinist, Mechanical, Minneapolis Dan Ryan, machinist, Mechanical, Minneapolis Standardized Work Rules A 10-member Technology Services (TS) and Crew Support team partnered last year with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), along with the Labor Relations Department, to standardize work rules while at the same time improving work/life balance. The result was a consistent bidding and bumping agreement for engineers. From the beginning, this team concentrated on technology considerations, with all parties seeking ways for the agreement to include software systems. This willingness to include technology allowed the give and take of the bargaining process to include input and feedback of TS and Crew Support. The BLET further partnered with Crew Support by setting up a Help Desk in the Topeka, Kan., Crew Center to help locomotive engineers understand the rules of the new agreement and to answer their questions. The Clerical Implementation team exceeded expectations by taking on additional roles and responsibilities in testing and preparing software, and then educating and training people on the new program. The final agreement is a winning combination, with positive results for BNSF, the locomotive engineers and their families. Front row, left to right: Manas Pattnaik, Julie McMahan, Sonja Fortney, Sandra Raney and Brenda Combes; Back row: Jennifer Martin, Bobby Pechal, Wendy Banister and Jon Hass. Not pictured: Kappi Scheibe. The team is comprised of: Wendy Banister, manager, Crew Processes and Budgets, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Brenda Combes, crew support clerical analyst, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Sonja Fortney, crew support specialist, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Jon Hass, consulting systems developer I, Technology Services, Topeka, Kan. Jennifer Martin, crew support specialist, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Julie McMahan, manager II, Technology Services, Topeka, Kan. Manas Pattnaik, programmer analyst, Technology Services, Topeka, Kan. Bobby Pechal Jr., crew support director, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Sandra Raney, crew support specialist, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Kappi Scheibe, manager, Inbound Operations, Transportation, Topeka, Kan. Return Invest in the right asset at the right time to keep the core network strong and to increase capacity Achieve sustainable returns by business unit that exceed the cost of capital to justify investment Lead the rail industry in efficiency Utilize our resources to maximize velocity Promote sound regulatory and public policy State of Delaware Audit In 2004, BNSF was notified by the state of Delaware that it retained a third-party firm to audit escheatment records and processes, going back to Escheatment refers to various state laws that require unclaimed property to be remitted to the state after a specified statutory period. This unclaimed property can be in the form of uncashed payroll checks, accounts payable checks or customer refunds. At the beginning of the audit, BNSF was informed that the estimated escheatment would be close to $10 million and that the third-party auditors received their compensation on a contingency basis. Auditors were known to use aggressive methodologies, typically resulting in inflated assessments. 4 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE 2008

5 In response, BNSF put together a team to proactively manage the audit. Their job was to gather information and respond to questions and requests. Last October, BNSF was notified that Delaware had issued its first-ever zero finding audit, meaning that there would be no financial assessment. Additionally, the same third-party firm was retained by six more states to perform similar audits of BNSF. However, based on its findings in the Delaware audit, the firm will now be recommending that those states issue the same finding. This means those audits will be closed with no punitive assessments. Team representatives are: Leslie Curry, senior analyst, Disbursement Management, Finance, Jeanne Exford, claim analyst, Law, Angi Ganaway, director, Finance, Marilyn Hardy,* director, Disbursement Management, Finance, Nicole Hightower, paralegal III, Law, Mike Lawrence,* general director, Payroll & Non-Op Timekeeping, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Kelly Morgan, senior manager, Disbursement Management, Finance, Jim Obermiller,* director, Corporate Support & Compliance, Law, Melanie Pippin, manager, Accounting, Finance, Jason Simecka,* manager, ERP Payroll, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Sharon Stevens, assistant manager, Special Projects, Law, Shawn Uphaus,* director, Cost & Profit Analysis, Finance, Gregg Watkins,* senior manager, ERP Payroll, Finance, Topeka, Kan. Beth Westhafer, director, Special Projects, Finance, Don Wind,* director, Claim Services, Law, * team representative at EOY Front row, left to right: Gregg Watkins, Mike Lawrence, Marilyn Hardy and Don Wind; Back row: Shawn Uphaus, Jason Simecka and Jim Obermiller. Scenic Subdivision Blitz Team Building and maintaining a network of 32,000 route miles is a challenge. Many dedicated employees support this effort, and one team in particular stood out last year. This crossfunctional Northwest Division team successfully planned and executed a maintenance blitz on the Scenic Subdivision. Team members from Engineering, Telecommunications, Transportation and Industrial Hygiene worked together on the Cascade Tunnel project. That included more than 26 miles of rail relay, 359 thermite welds, 16 miles of resurfacing and almost three miles of concrete abrasion repair. This team also performed a complete upgrade of more than eight miles of highvoltage cable and more than eight miles of fiber optic cable. Additionally, the team renewed two bridge tubs on the Miller River Bridge and almost 1,500 ties. The group completed this very complex project on budget, ahead of schedule and injury- free. Front row: Paul Farley, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Robert Owen and Duane Befort; Back row: Terry Nies and Dennis Bullock. Not pictured: Gary Adams, Roger Dunn, Steve Martin and Jeff Strop. Gary Adams,* assistant foreman, Engineering, Seattle Duane Befort,* division engineer, Engineering, Seattle Dennis Bullock,* manager, Industrial Hygiene, Human Resources, Seattle Roger Dunn,* foreman, Engineering, Seattle Terry During, work equipment supervisor, Engineering, Auburn, Wash. Paul Farley Jr.,* assistant roadmaster, Engineering, Seattle Gary Filcher, trainmaster, Transportation, Wenatchee, Wash. Kevin Fitzpatrick,* manager, Telecommunications, Spokane, Wash. Alex Franco Jr., roadmaster, Engineering, Bellingham, Wash. Stu Gordon, assistant terminal superintendent, Transportation, Seattle Brian Hipol, manager, Maintenance Planning, Engineering, Seattle Dennis Kautzmann, road foreman, Transportation, Seattle Steve Martin,* rail gang foreman, Engineering, Burlington, Wash. Richard Mason, road foreman, Transportation, Seattle Gordon McElroy, signal supervisor, Engineering, Wenatchee, Wash. Harvey Moore, welding supervisor, Engineering, Spokane, Wash. James Motes-Conners, road foreman, Transportation, Wenatchee, Wash. Terry Nies,* trainmaster, Transportation, Seattle Robert Owen,* assistant roadmaster, Engineering, Spokane, Wash. Randy Perdue, assistant director, Maintenance Production, Engineering, Spokane, Wash. Bruce Polnicky, structures manager, Engineering, Seattle James Potestio, assistant roadmaster, Engineering, Spokane, Wash. Darrel Ries, maintenance manager, Telecommunications, John Solomou, terminal manager, Transportation, Wenatchee, Wash. Bob Stafford, trainmaster, Transportation, Wenatchee, Wash. Bob Stender, corridor superintendent, Transportation, Jeff Strop,* roadmaster, Engineering, Everett, Wash. Robert Sutton, supervisor, Maintenance Planning, Engineering, Seattle John Wiener, supervisor of facilities, Engineering, Spokane, Wash. * team representative at EOY Resolving Water Damage to Tunnel BNSF has 88 tunnels across the system, all vital to our operations. On the Hi Line Subdivision, foremen Brett Petersen and Tony David, both based in Essex, Mont., were working on wall panel replacements in one of those tunnels. Water was entering from the tunnel s east portal and, because it was pooling, was causing surface problems. Because Petersen and David had worked previously on the same problem, they noticed that water would always remain clear during the restoration. Deducing that the water was a constant spring, they predicted that there must be a way to divert the water. Brett Petersen, left, and Tony David. The two drilled a hole in a part of the outside tunnel wall, allowing the water to drain into a nearby river. Today, the tunnel remains dry and structurally sound. Because this creative approach worked so well, BNSF canceled a capital plan to replace 50 track panels in the tunnel that would have amounted to about $300,000 and would have been a recurring expense. People Achieve the safety vision of eliminating accidents and injuries Win through leadership Achieve alignment with front-line workforce Champion programs that attract, retain and motivate (compensation, diversity, work/life balance, etc.) Develop and transition the workforce Military Recruitment BNSF s shared values encompass leadership, teamwork and the ability to perform safely in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Recognizing that military recruitment could support these values, Connie McLendon, director, Staffing,, formalized BNSF hiring policies for U.S. military personnel. Front row, left to right: Joyia Simmons, Mary Burney, Connie McLendon and Carmen Turner; Back row: Patricia Torres, John Shook and Larry Martin. McLendon and her team attended many military career fairs and visited military bases in Washington and Southern California. The result was that nearly 30 percent of new hires in 2007 were veterans transitioning to civilian careers. The team also reviewed and revised BNSF pay policies to make them military-friendly. This affected 175 of our co-workers last year who were called to active armed service duty. Because of this team s diligence, those employees received make-whole pay along with other company benefits. Additionally, BNSF received recognition as the No. 1 Military-Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs magazine. In addition to McLendon, the team included: Mary Burney, administrative assistant III, Human Resources, Larry Martin, manager, Human Resources, John Shook, director, Transportation Development, Human Resources, Joyia Simmons, analyst, Real Estate, Finance, Patricia Torres, manager, Human Resources, San Bernardino, Calif. Carmen Turner, manager, Human Resources, San Bernardino, Calif. RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE

6 New St. Paul Portal Channels Last year, St. Paul, Minn., Revenue Management account representatives Flo Clark and Pam Larson, along with David Fevold, assistant manager, saw a way to improve communication that has positively impacted all St. Paul-based employees. By developing and implementing new portal channels, the team is helping employees receive needed information faster, integrated with existing channels. Left to right: Pam Larson, David Fevold and Flo Clark. Because of the foresight of this team, St. Paul employees can receive desktop alerts that notify them of application changes, issues or outages. Employees can now also access information about new applications, upcoming system changes and department-related reports and metrics. These individuals saw a way to harness the power of technology, and as a result, their coworkers benefit. Machine Guard Development The very essence of leadership is having a vision. Darryl Cummings exhibited this vision. Cummings is a Mechanical foreman at the Topeka, Kan., System Maintenance Terminal, where he leads a 35- person locomotive wreck and component fabrication team. Cummings leads by example and has worked his entire 15-year career injury-free; for the last six years, he led his team to work injury-free. Since 2005, when Cummings accepted his present position, he has consistently improved locomotive wreck repair processes and enhanced the ergonomics of handling heavy materials. Last year, he led a team in developing machine guards to protect operators of almost 120 machines. Cummings used his fabrication skills to design and apply guards to meet OSHA safety standards and regulations. After this, he lent his expertise to locomotive shops in Kansas City, helping them with the design, fabrication and application of machine guards. The end result is that Cummings machine guarding designs are now being used across the BNSF system. Havre Carman Reports Broken Angle Bar BNSF s success depends on people who are committed to keeping our trains running safely and efficiently. And having the presence of mind to question something that doesn t look quite right is the sign of a dependable, engaged employee. Brian Berreth, a carman based in Havre, Mont., exhibited that type of commitment and prevented a potentially severe incident. Berreth has been with BNSF for only a few years, and he has never worked in the Engineering Department. But on the evening of May 29, he saw something that did not look right. He was performing an inbound 1,000-mile train inspection in the Havre Yard when he found two broken angle bars on the tracks. These bars are necessary to ensure track integrity. Berreth took quick action, immediately calling his supervisor and the yardmaster to report what he had seen. After confirming the defective angle bars, the yardmaster took the track out of service. Without Berreth s attention to detail, BNSF would likely have experienced a derailment. Reporting Broken Rail Last February, a Forsyth, Mont., section gang was traveling on a frontage road when members of the gang noticed what appeared to be a Left to right: Tom Yantzer, John Plucinski and Joel Reagor. broken rail on the main line, just adjacent to the road. The truck driver, Joel Reagor, stopped, and he and Tom Yantzer, laborer, verified the track failure. They then hand signaled John Plucinski, the section foreman, about the broken rail. Plucinski was able to immediately contact the dispatcher to stop all traffic. The rail was missing about 12 inches of the ball, making the track impassable. At that point, the dispatcher gave the crew time to repair the rail. This crew was well-prepared; they had a briefing and had the movement of traffic stopped in a timely manner. Thanks to their foresight, their boom truck was supplied with the tools and materials needed to complete the repair. What might have been a serious derailment causing train delays, potential injuries and thousands of dollars in repairs, turned completely around, all due to this team of prepared individuals. Broken Wheel Reporting Walt Dunham, a flagman based in Stanley, N.D., was on the Glasgow Subdivision last Sept. 18, flagging for an overhead bridge project. Dunham had to clear for a train, and since he was along the track, did a roll-by. During that inspection, Dunham spotted a wheel that was hitting hard on the rail, so he stopped the train. He and the train conductor performed a closer inspection and found a fairly substantial piece of wheel broken. But Dunham didn t stop there. He then assisted the crew as they set the car out. Due to his actions, major track damage and a potentially serious derailment were averted. Warm Bearing Team BNSF daily moves thousands of pieces of equipment, each of which has multiple wheels and bearings. When bearings fail, however, a service interruption or a derailment can occur. In 2005, burned-off journal derailments cost BNSF more than $7 million, but thanks to a multiyear initiative of a cross-functional team, that cost was reduced to $750,000. More importantly, this team s work has positively impacted safety across the system by reducing the quantity of burned-off journal derailments. This team developed a computer system that monitors and then archives three different systemwide detection systems encompassing more than 800 unique detectors. Additionally, this new technology organizes the history of each individual bearing, giving BNSF the capability of predicting a bearing failure before it occurs. The team implemented phase one of the Warm Bearing Detection System in In 2005, the team completed implementation of phase two, which expands the amount of data sources used in the decision-making process. Integrating all of BNSF s detection systems provides a more holistic view of the health of each individual bearing. This effort reduced the quantity of burnedoff journal derailments by 84 percent and the cost of these derailments by 94 percent. Also, BNSF led the big four U.S. railroads in the reduction of burned-off journal derailments in 2006, thanks in part to this team: Front row, left to right: Ryan Hightower, Byron Dickey, Jack Kahler, Myron Cheeney and Fred Meeks; Back row: Aron Kamperman, Kristopher Shuman and James Brackett. James Brackett, manager, Equipment Operations, Mechanical, Kansas City, Kan. Myron Cheeney, manager, Equipment Operations, Transportation, Byron Dickey, director, Reliability Engineering, Mechanical, Ryan Hightower, senior systems developer II, Technology Services, Jack Kahler, director, Equipment (retired), Transportation, Aron Kamperman, consulting systems developer I, Technology Services, Fred Meeks, Engineering Systems Detectors, Engineering, Kansas City, Kan. Kristopher Shuman, manager, Mechanical Condition-based Maintenance, Mechanical, Responding to Brakeman in Distress On Feb. 24, 2007, Perry Lutz, a dispatcher in, received a distress call from engineer Barry Green, who was on a helper engine near Fryburg, N.D. The brakeman on the engine was in severe distress. (Employees of the Year continued on page 11) 6 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE 2008

7 Improving Our Safety Dear Valued Member of Team BNSF: I d like to briefly review our progress in safety, as well as preview some of the topics in this issue of Focus on Safety. First and most importantly, we lost one of our colleagues, Sal Vega, who was fatally injured on March 27. Mr. Vega was struck by a passing train near Emporia, Kan., while his surfacing gang was working on the adjacent track. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Vega s family, friends and co-workers. This loss demonstrates that we have work ahead toward our vision of an injuryand accident-free workplace. We are making progress, however. Although through the first quarter we did not achieve our injury-frequency and severity goals, our injury-frequency trends are improving compared with the final two quarters of Our safety trends during the second quarter are especially encouraging, with a year-to-date injury-frequency ratio slightly better than our goal of Our injury-severity ratio is tracking above plan, though the run rate has recently stabilized. During the first four months of this year, we have more than 1,000 more lost and restricted days due to injury than during the same period last year. We can point to various reasons for these higher numbers, but we can reverse this trend by further reducing our injury rates. The bottom line is that we want our people to return home safely to their loved ones at the end of each day. That s at the core of our focus on Safety for Us. When we work safely, those around us also benefit, including our co-workers, family members and communities. We need to remain focused on the elimination of at-risk behaviors by following our Safety Action Plans and reducing the variability of our work tasks. To highlight some of our most critical work practices, we are rolling out a series of monthly focus topics. The focus topic for May was overexertion, one of our leading causes of injury in recent years. For June, our focus is summertime safety, where we review the importance of taking precautions when working in extreme heat. We ve included checklists in this Focus on Safety on key safe practices for both topics. Please read these checklists carefully, and use them in your job safety briefings. In this issue of Focus on Safety, we also include a feature article on our safety coordinators. These coordinators have shown a strong safety commitment and are helping to advance safety at BNSF. This article is a companion to an article on the Safety Assurance and Compliance Process (SACP) and other joint and local safety processes featured in a previous issue of Focus on Safety. We truly believe that these joint safety processes are one of our greatest opportunities to further improve safety, as the people who do the job every day look for ways to make the job safer. We all share responsibility and accountability for working safely. I hope you also read the article on our grade-crossing closure process. Our grade-crossing closure team is approaching an important milestone the 4,000th crossing closed since the initiative began in The closure initiative is just one part of our focus on grade-crossing safety. I am proud of the fact that we have one of the lowest grade-crossing incident rates among Class I railroads, and that rate continues to drop each year. Going forward, I hope we can continue to build on the safety progress we ve made. As has been said many times, as a company we cannot be successful unless we are safe. Please be careful each and every day. Sincerely, Mark Schulze Vice President, Safety, Training and Operations Support RAILWAY I MAy/June MAY/JUNE

8 Meeting Around Safety BNSF s largest Operations work group, Transportation, has established a joint safety process designed to strengthen safety performance for the department s 20,000 employees. A joint safety team including BNSF Transportation leaders, safety coordinators and labor leaders from the United Transportation Union (UTU) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) meets twice a year for a continuing safety dialogue. They gathered on April 16 to discuss current safety issues and identify improvements. On April 15, safety coordinators across the BNSF system weren t considering tax deadlines. They were preparing to attend the Safety Coordinators Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. The meeting, hosted by BNSF s Transportation leadership team, includes division safety coordinators and labor leaders from the UTU and the BLET. Their discussions target safety issues in Transportation and focus on finding solutions. Initiating the Conversation The Safety Coordinators Meeting began as an outgrowth of the Safety Summit agreements, signed by the UTU and the BLET in The agreements outlined a number of joint safety initiatives, including the designation of safety coordinators from each labor organization for BNSF s operating divisions. For several years, these safety coordinators have met periodically in in an open forum on safety. Meeting attendees discuss the current state of safety in the department, identify proactive strategies, seek solutions to safety issues and improve safety processes. The issues raised at the meetings are often complex ones that require research or innovative solutions. It s important to have a safety dialogue, says Greg Fox, vice president, Transportation. During the next five years, 40 percent of our workforce will be eligible for retirement. We must prepare for new employees and do so in a manner that is consistent with our safety vision. Kent Confer, a Nebraska Division safety coordinator, agrees. Using the Safety Summit Agreement as a palette, we ve created what we believe safety should be for our members and fellow employees. The Safety Coordinators Meeting allows us to discuss important safety issues. Hearing Each Other BNSF s safety vision is that every employee will go home in the same condition as when he or she arrived at work. This, Fox says, is a mutual challenge that impacts everyone and one in which everyone shares responsibility. At the meeting, Transportation leaders update the team on the current state of safety at BNSF and in the department. At the April meeting, Fox shared this news: n In March, BNSF experienced a fatality when a foreman with a surfacing gang was struck by a train on an adjacent track. n For Transportation, severity and frequency ratios increased significantly over 2007 rates. n The department needs to consistently implement Safety Action Plans across divisions and work teams. n The most frequent injury event is slips/trips/falls; the second is overexertion from throwing switches and operating hand brakes. Back to the Basics of Safety Greg Fox, vice president, Transportation, reiterated BNSF s six safety basics at the April 16 Safety Coordinators Meeting: n Safety leadership that establishes trust and credibility n Site safety teams that proactively identify and correct local safety concerns n Management oversight process that proactively identifies potential risk n Employee review process that assists each employee in working safely n Safety Issue Resolution Process (SIRP) that protects and corrects potential hazards n Accident and incident handling that identifies root cause Fox noted that the Chicago and Powder River divisions were Transportation s safest performing divisions in the first quarter of 2008, and Chicago Division switchmen and conductors had the lowest injury rates. The leadership team also listened to concerns from division safety coordinators. Confer and Louis Costa, a safety coordinator from the California Division, facilitated part of the discussion to identify areas where proactive strategies could mitigate risk. During the April meeting, these safety items included: n Evaluating personal protective equipment and ordering procedures n Communicating and implementing safety rules changes more consistently n Clarifying and ensuring a consistent interpretation of specific rules n Potentially standardizing required clearance distances n Reviewing whistle post visibility n Better integrating computer-based training with field procedures n Improving train crew line-ups According to Fox, the Transportation leadership team will continue encouraging a safety partnership. Clearly, we must continue to involve employees in aligning our company culture around safety as a core value, he says. Sharing Best Practices During the April meeting, safety coordinators shared their division s best practices, those projects or techniques that effectively promoted safety. Jeff Gion, a safety coordinator on the Northwest Division, values the opportunity to interact with other division coordinators. I can take new ideas ideas that have worked on other divisions to boost safety on my division, he says. One idea he incorporated is enhanced safety training for new-hire employees. Other best practices ranged from addressing the safety culture to enhancing division safety performance through specific safety projects. (Safety Meeting continued on page 9) 8 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE MAy/June 2008

9 Safety Expressions Editor s Note: Larry Cloyd, a carman who was a local chairman with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, recently sent this letter to the Safety and Mechanical teams, reflecting on his years of service as a member of BNSF s System Safety Assurance and Compliance Program (SACP) task force. Cloyd was an original member of the task force, having served 12 years. He recently retired from BNSF after a 37-year career. The SACP task force was featured in an article on joint safety processes in the March/April issue of Focus on Safety. May 13, 2008 Before I retire, I would like to say thank you again to both the BNSF and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen for the opportunity to serve on the SACP team. When I started in 1970 as a carman apprentice, I had no idea that I would someday have a privilege of meeting with the top executives of the railroad, the FRA and the union with a common goal of preventing accidents and fatalities. It has provided me with a wealth of knowledge about our company and what makes it work. It has given me an opportunity to meet with our senior officers in the Mechanical department and share issues with them that have led to many changes in our safety process. Above all, it has allowed me to openly express my concerns directly to them, and because of that, my immediate supervisors have made every effort to get things done so they would not come up in. There is an underlying power there that has been a huge help to me. As I told Carl Ice the other day, my only disappointment is that in spite of our best efforts, we continue to have our team members hurt or killed. Two of my good personal friends, Larry Schmidt and Robert Newton, were killed on duty, and I still feel for their families. Please continue to press toward our goal of an injury-free workplace. Larry Cloyd Employee Safety Tips Safety needs to be a factor in all our decisions, from walking the dog to picking up a derailment. We need to make safety the top factor in all our decisions. James Adamson, Mechanical safety assistant, Denver Keep rail safety in mind when driving! Watch for trains at all crossings, slow down if there is a need, then proceed only when it is safe to do so. Christene Aldeis, field safety manager, El Paso, Texas Focus on Safety VP, Safety, Training and Operations Support: Mark Schulze, Mark.Schulze@bnsf.com Editor: Linda Jacobson, ljacobson@quepr.com Got a story idea? Send story ideas, safety tips, suggestions and comments to bnsf.safety1@bnsf.com or call Gene Welander at (817) Safety Vision We believe every accident or injury is preventable. Our vision is that BNSF will operate free of accidents and injuries. (Safety Meeting continued from page 8) Seeking Solutions Team members proactively seek solutions to broader departmental safety issues, such as establishing trust and communicating empowerment, and review challenges specific to each division. The key is getting everyone s input on how best to overcome issues that affect all of our membership, says Costa. The team also discusses progress made on issues from previous meetings. In April, the group heard updates on the company s peer responder program, automatic computer notification to employees in the Safety Issue Resolution Process (SIRP) and authority critical triggers, among others. A subcommittee also presented recommendations to simplify job safety briefings. Fox ensures that items the group cannot immediately solve are entered into a meeting SIRP log for further research and discussion. The bottom line is our safety process has really come a long way in the past six years, says Confer. Through cooperation, we can only get better. For a detailed summary of the meeting, employees can access the meeting notes from the System Safety intranet at: bnsf.com/departments/safety/safety_summit/ April_2008/SC_Meeting_summary_final.doc Rules Do you stretch before beginning a task? Safety Rule S-25.2 If you are operating a switch or derail, have you reviewed the proper procedure? Safety Rules S through S If you are operating a hydraulic tool, have you reviewed the proper operation? Maintenance of Way Safety Rule S Manufacturer s operating guidelines Have you considered the best method to handle a heavy load? Safety Rule S Readiness Do you include healthy foods in your diet? Do you exercise regularly? Do you ensure you get adequate sleep? Do you know best practices for safe lifting, pulling and pushing? Use good posture and body position. Use leverage when appropriate. Use the power position to exert force. Apply smooth, steady force. Routine Have you discussed any task in which you are required to lift, push or pull in a job safety briefing: To identify potential risks associated with the task prior to beginning? To mitigate any potential risks? Have you stretched the muscle groups needed to perform the task? Have you identified: The right tool? Mechanical lifting devices that you could use? If you are moving a load, have you tested the load to assess the amount of resistance you will encounter? RAILWAY I MAy/June MAY/JUNE

10 Closing in on 4,000 The Crossing Closure team manages the railroad s grade-crossing closure program and is approaching the 4,000th crossing closure since the program s inception. Crossing closures are just one part of BNSF s extensive grade crossing safety effort, which also focuses on education, engineering and enforcement. I n the world of numbers, 4,000 is big. But for BNSF s Crossing Closure team, 4,000 will mark a new high point. Or, as Mark Schulze, vice president, Safety, Training and Operations Support says, It s definitely a significant milestone. It means there are 4,000 fewer locations for an accident to occur. Since BNSF started its highway-railroad grade-crossing closure initiative in 2000, a Crossing Closure team has overseen an aggressive initiative to close public and private or pedestrian at-grade crossings that are redundant or unnecessary. The Crossing Closure initiative is one part of BNSF s extensive program focused on improving grade-crossing safety and raising awareness of grade-crossing safety laws. Other elements of BNSF s grade-crossing safety program include: n Community education and awareness n Train crew education n Crossing safety technology n Crossing resurfacing n Vegetation control n Installation of warning devices n Track/signal inspection and maintenance The ClosersThe Crossing Closure team is a cross-functional group comprised of 28 managers 10 from the Public Projects group in Engineering and 18 from the Field Safety Support team in Safety. Most team members are responsible for a specific territory, handling crossing closures for their territory. BNSF s unique, multifunctional approach has netted exceptional success, causing other Class I railroads to take note. Since 2000, the team has reduced BNSF s atgrade crossings by more than 10 percent overall. Today, BNSF has about 26,500 at-grade crossings. Removing a crossing can take a team member anywhere from four months to a year or more, depending on the number of parties involved and the complexity of the crossing. To begin the process, the team first identifies atgrade crossings that are unnecessary, redundant or that meet other criteria. If a crossing is a candidate for closure, a team member will scout the crossing. The team also verifies ownership. If the crossing belongs to a private landowner, the team member will work with that individual to understand usage patterns, identify alternatives and begin the process of removing the crossing, once the landowner agrees. If the crossing is publicly owned or otherwise controlled by local or state authorities, the process can be more complex. Typically, we coordinate public closures with other public projects that we re involved in. And for every new crossing an entity requests, we try to identify at least two that can be closed, says Lyn Hartley, director, Public Projects. This year the team expects to close 450 highway-railroad crossings. The Stats Benefits are undeniable. With every closure, we are reducing the risk. That is incalculable, says Rupert Tobosa, director, Field Safety Grade Crossing. Since oncoming trains cannot stop for vehicles whose drivers violate motor vehicle laws when approaching railroad tracks, each grade crossing presents possible danger to motorists and train crews. BNSF s grade crossing safety program achieved other highlights in 2007: n BNSF sponsored more than 4,600 Operation Lifesaver classes, targeting high-risk drivers. n BNSF conducted more than 97 Officer on the Train programs, allowing local law enforcement the opportunity to observe motorist and pedestrian behavior from the cab of a locomotive or from the ground at a grade crossing. n BNSF participated in more than 190 positive enforcement efforts in which motorists who obeyed grade-crossing laws were thanked for their safe driving. n In BNSF s Roll Call program, the team conducted more than 490 follow-up visits to law enforcement agencies. n BNSF participated in 113 Grade- Crossing Collision Investigation courses, fourto 16-hour courses offered at law enforcement academies. n BNSF offered more than 164 truck driver education programs to trucking companies. Our program has achieved these successes because of a diligent team, says Schulze. Impressively, since 1995, BNSF s grade crossing collisions declined 33 percent, from 5.41 per million train miles to 1.81 per million train miles in In 2008, the collision rate has fallen 11 percent from the same period in No. 4,000 According to Hartley, several closures are in progress, any one of which might be No. 4,000. Stay tuned to BNSF-TV and BNSF News for updates on the closing of No. 4,000. SUMMER PREPAREDNESS Readiness Are you aware of the different types of heat illness? Heat stress Heat cramps Heat rash Heat exhaustion Heat collapse Do you know the factors that can put you at risk for heat stress? Physical factors: Age, weight, degree of physical fitness, personal medical conditions, metabolism Environmental factors: Air temperature, radiant heat, air movement, relative humidity and conduction Other factors: Heat index, type of clothing or PPE worn Do you know the signs and symptoms of heat illness? Sick or tired feeling Clammy skin Pale appearance Rapid or faint pulse Profuse sweating Routine Did you perform a job safety briefing on summer conditions? Temperature, heat index conditions and sunlight exposure Frequency of breaks Signs or symptoms of heat illness/preventive measures Actions to take if you feel affected or observe symptoms in a co-worker Information needed for emergency responders If possible, are you wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing? Do you have plenty of water available and hydrate regularly? Do you avoid caffeine and alcohol? Are you using/wearing approved PPE for hot weather conditions? Insects: Protective repellent or spray Heat: Headband, ear muff, neck wrap or vest Perspiration: Sweatband or sweat pad Skin: Anti-itch gel, poison oak/ivy lotion, safety sunglasses, sun block Did you allow time to acclimate to the heat? Are you watching out for yourself and others? 10 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE MAy/june 2008

11 (Employees of the Year continued from page 6) Green immediately attended to the brakeman, but he could see that his condition was worsening. Together, Lutz and Green took action, with Lutz notifying the Barry Green Resource Operations Communication Center to dispatch an ambulance to the engine s remote location. He remained in constant communication with Green and relayed the exact location of the engine, along with the condition of the brakeman, to emergency authorities. In the meantime, Green was doing everything he could to help ease his colleague s pain. After 18 minutes, an ambulance arrived, taking the brakeman to the hospital. The brakeman had suffered a heart attack and eventually had surgery. Today, he is doing well, thanks to the quick, decisive actions of both Green and Lutz. Coming to Co-worker s Aid On the afternoon of Oct. 11, John Gibbons, a conductor based in Haslet, Texas, was en route to Ward Spur, Texas, when he noticed that the locomotive engineer was experiencing pain in his back. That pain soon migrated to the engineer s right side and worsened. Both the engineer and Gibbons decided to stop the train at a crossing and contact an ambulance. Community Lead in public safety performance and environmental stewardship in surface transportation Proactively participate in and support communities where we operate Passenger AED Response A commuter train conductor in Tacoma, Wash., Ken Sears was preparing to depart the King Street Station following a Seattle Mariners game. The train was full, carrying around 1,600 passengers. Sears received word that one passenger had collapsed and was lying on the floor of a coach car. He immediately grabbed a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED) device and directed the engineer to call the dispatcher and 911. He headed to the opposite end of the train where he found a 55-year-old man who was not breathing and had no pulse. Sears immediately cleared the area and began CPR while another conductor and a security guard opened and prepared the AED. Sears then applied the AED paddles and delivered one shock. Seconds later, the man began to breathe and regained consciousness. Paramedics arrived and took the man, who survived, to a local hospital. Sears reacted quickly and calmly; he Gibbons contacted the local fire and rescue department but could not give them an exact location of the train. The brakeman on the train, Glen Douglas, made the decision to John Gibbons leave the train and go to the nearest house. He quickly located a street address for the ambulance, and then relayed that back to Gibbons. Shortly afterward, the ambulance arrived and took the engineer, who had suffered a heart attack, to the hospital. Ultimately, the engineer had surgery and is fine now. Had it not been for the decisive actions of both Gibbons and Douglas, he might not have survived. With very little warning, Gibbons and Douglas were faced with a situation in which their co-worker needed them. And they were there to help. Report of Sun Kink The unrelenting heat of the sun can be tough on people and tracks. When heat expands the rail, it puts pressure on the steel, and when the pressure becomes too much, the track can buckle or bulge out, sometimes more than a foot. And although track-laying technology has improved, sun kinks have not been completely eliminated, although they are increasingly rare. thought clearly under pressure, assumed control of a crowded scene, delegated responsibility to the other crew members, and executed the AED swiftly and exactly. In fact, later, when emergency responders reviewed the tapes from the AED, they said that Sears execution was textbook perfect. Highway Accident Response On March 15, at Peach Springs, Ariz., foreman Randy Hale was traveling along Route 66 when an SUV passed him, going very fast. Moments later, rounding a corner, Hale found the vehicle at the bottom of an embankment. It was severely damaged and had rolled onto the BNSF right-of-way. Hale immediately notified the dispatcher about the emergency, so trains could be stopped, and ran to help. About the same time, division engineer Steve Heidzig also arrived at this location, coming from the opposite direction. He, too, stopped and immediately began to assist. Heidzig found a four-year-old boy bleeding heavily. Hale had retrieved a first aid kit from his vehicle, and Heidzig applied gauze to the boy s bleeding arm. Hale, meanwhile, was trying to calm the boy s upset mother and sister. Shortly, paramedics arrived on the scene and took the family to the hospital. Because of Hale s and Heidzig s concern and quick actions, the little boy s chances of survival were greatly increased. Editor s note: No photo available. On Aug. 12, engineer Mark Smith and conductor Richard Weber, both based in Gillette, Wyo., were traveling on the main track of the Orin Subdivision in the Powder River Basin. They noticed, and then reported, a thermal misalignment on the line running into the South Black Thunder Mine. The misalignment was on a curve at the mine s entrance. As a result, trains going in or out of the mine could not have seen the misalignment in advance of their approach. Mark Smith, left, and Richard Weber. Immediately after the two reported the problem, the dispatcher stopped a train and called for a track inspection, which confirmed a serious misalignment. Both Smith and Weber displayed incredible situational awareness not just for their train but for other trains along this busy section of track. Because of their keen observation and follow-up, they prevented a potential major derailment. Recognizing Intermodal Safety BNSF s Intermodal Hub and Automotive Facilities held its fourth annual Safety Summit awards April 2 in Seattle. The group created an annual safety award this year, the Iacullo Safety Leadership Award, that recognizes an individual who inspires safety. Carmen Iacullo, director, Hub and Facility System Safety, is the first recipient. Michael Burke (right), assistant vice president, Hub and Facility Operations, presented a safety leadership award to Carmen Iacullo (left), director, Hub and Facility System Safety. Intermodal Hub 2007 Safety Employees of the Year are: Chad Engroff, senior hub manager, Los Angeles Joan McNabb, hub manager, Seattle Gail Seaman, hub manager, Houston Recipient of the Automotive Facilities 2007 Safety Employee of the Year is Glenn Smith, senior hub manager, Alliance, Texas. RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE

12 Answers to Your Achievement Award Questions BNSF s Achievement Award program recognizes individual employees and teams who go above and beyond to demonstrate BNSF s Vision and Values and strategies. Since its inception nearly 10 years ago, the Achievement Award program has continued to grow and evolve. The following answers some of the most commonly asked questions about the program. If you still have questions, see the Achievement Award Web site at or please send an to Communications, Corporate via Outlook. Q. What is an Achievement Award and when did this program begin? A. The BNSF Achievement Award, developed in 1999, recognizes Team BNSF members who demonstrate BNSF s Vision and Values through initiative, efficiency, timeliness, vigilance, knowledge or innovation beyond what their normal job requires. Employees may receive multiple Achievement Awards over their career. The first award is a bronze, followed by a silver and gold. If the employee goes beyond a gold medal, he or she will receive platinum certificates. Q. What s the process for nominating and reviewing achievements for this award? A. How-to information may be found on the BNSF Internet site at com/employees/achieveawards.html. On the BNSF portal, under the My BNSF tab, look for the Inside BNSF channel and click on Recognition Programs. Or go directly to BNSF_achieve.doc for the form, which will need to be filled out, printed and faxed to Corporate Relations. Later this year, an automated, online version of the form will be available. Once a form is submitted to Corporate Relations, it will be submitted to the appropriate vice president for approval. Following the vice president s approval, it typically takes three to four weeks to receive the award. Q. Who is eligible to receive an Achievement Award? A. Any active BNSF employee, including scheduled and exempt, is eligible. An exempt employee must be a grade 33 or below. Q. Who is eligible to nominate an employee for an Achievement Award? A. Any employee or supervisor may nominate someone for an award. All award nominations will be approved by the supervisor and the departmental vice president. Q. What types of achievements receive an award? A. Employees have received recognition for many different types of actions. Some have responded to a crisis and saved a life. Others have developed new or more efficient ways to perform a task or improved a business process. Several prevented a derailment by reporting defective track or equipment. And some have gone above and beyond to help a customer. Q. If an achievement was accomplished by a team, will every member get an award? A. Yes, every team member nominated by the supervisor or team leader receives an award. Q. Are field employees well-represented in the program? A. About an equal number of and field employees received Achievement Awards in 2007, representing a broad range of departments. In 2008, we are working to further increase the number of field employees, and especially the number of scheduled employees, receiving this recognition. Q. How does the Achievement Award program tie in to the Employees of the Year program? A. The BNSF Leadership Team reviews all Achievement Award winners for a given year and selects the top ones that best represent BNSF s Vision and Values and strategies. Those teams or individuals selected by the Leadership Team are then presented to the Executive Team for review and approval. Q. What s the difference between All-Star and an Achievement Award? A. The BNSF All-Star recognition is for those individuals who go out of their way to do something special for their community, and typically, it is not work-related. Team BNSF has many All Stars those who inspire others, are considered heroes or have a unique skill. An Achievement Award is tied to BNSF s Vision and Values supported by the strategies of franchise, service, return, people and community Safety Employees of the Year At the same time Employees of the Year are selected, the BNSF Safety and Operations leadership teams name six employees for Safety Employees of the Year. Out of those, one is selected to be BNSF s Hammond Award nominee. The Harold F. Hammond Award is a national award established in 1986 and recognizes an employee s efforts to improve safety within the industry and communities. All U.S. railroads are invited to nominate an employee for this recognition, which was announced in Washington, D.C. in May. After careful review and consideration of the 2007 Safety Employees of the Year, BNSF selected James (J.J.) McGovern as BNSF s nominee. Hammond Award Nominee James J.J. McGovern, locomotive engineer, Galesburg, Ill. As a locomotive engineer, J.J. McGovern has played a key role in promoting safety by addressing issues and helping implement safety solutions during his 13-year tenure at BNSF. He cochairs the Galesburg site safety team and has been instrumental in identifying safety problems. To facilitate the safety process, McGovern reviews the Safety Issue Resolution Process (SIRP) log each month. He ensures that issues are assigned to the proper people and that these individuals update the logs as items progress. He also checks that the employee who submitted the item is updated on the disposition of the issue. Additionally, McGovern co-chairs the Transportation Solutions Subcommittee, which addresses a wide range of issues that are directly related to the Transportation crafts. Through the subcommittee s audit work, improvements were made in walking conditions, and the team has assisted with workplace organization, such as printer and paperwork locations. McGovern s willingness to volunteer extends to his leadership role on the Van Service Task Force. By establishing a van hotline, this group helped resolve more than 350 van service issues, which directly affected crew rest periods. McGovern also discussed van safety issues during weekly calls. Due to his leadership and analysis, van on-time performance improved by 30 percent last year. McGovern has taken a lead in identifying each crew route drop-off point, for the entire division, creating a divisionwide van safety playbook. Last year, Galesburg and the Chicago Division experienced a significant increase in authority violations. J.J. assumed responsibility for staunching these violations by spearheading a safety poster campaign. He helped in designing six posters, warning employees about the various causes of these violations to help raise awareness of them. In his spare time, he helps his wife, who co-chairs a community board that deals with domestic violence issues. Both at work and within the community, J.J. McGovern has been a driving force for safety. 12 RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE 2008

13 James Mike Adamson, carman, Denver, Colo. Mike Adamson has worked for BNSF since 1971 without any reportable injuries or operations test failures. Heavily involved in safety committee work, from the local level to the system level, Adamson co-chairs the site safety committee for both the locomotive and car shops. Additionally, he is a member of the Terminal Site Safety Committee and has served on the division s site safety committee for the past two years. Also, he conducts all safety training for new-hire carmen and locomotive personnel. Through his own initiative, Adamson saw a need to develop a site Mechanical Safety Committee, one he chairs. The committee is composed of all crafts representing the Denver Mechanical Team, helping facilitate safety communication between groups. Adamson approaches safety in an analytical and methodical manner. He is especially thorough in safety training and believes that being well-grounded in safety processes is necessary to ensure a safe working environment. He developed a spreadsheet that tracks each individual s safety training progress, including areas where an individual might need further assistance or has successfully completed training. This allows supervisors to determine, at a glance, whether an employee is current on training and other important safety information. Through Adamson s efforts and encouragement, employees have accepted the work practice observation (WPO) program. Through 2007, employee participation in WPOs increased by more than 50 percent. Brian Cattle, technical analyst,, Texas A five-year technical analyst at BNSF s Technology Office Building (TOB), Brian Cattle is a TOB floor warden coordinator, a position he has held for three years. He is responsible for all safety issues in the TOB, along with coordinating the efforts of the floor wardens. He is also a member of the Campus Safety Committee, which he chaired for two years. Last year, after the committee implemented a new severe weather warning system, Cattle worked with Facilities to ensure that all safety equipment worked properly and met the needs of the building. The committee was also responsible for updating the severe weather evacuation plan. Under Cattle s leadership, new severe weather assembly sites were established for employees located too far from existing areas. Because of the large capacity of the TOB, the building has its own floor warden response hotline. Cattle, along with the other floor wardens, monitors a hotline. This hotline is installed on each floor warden s phone, and TOB occupants are instructed to call in the event of an emergency. Cattle s peers understand that he has their best interests in mind and will fittingly take care of safety needs. This was illustrated last year when a TOB employee thought he was experiencing a heart attack. The employee did not want to bother anyone nor did he want anyone to know his condition. However, he felt comfortable contacting Cattle, who was able call for emergency personnel, administer oxygen and keep the employee comfortable without drawing undue attention from fellow employees. Preston Connell, senior patrolman, Resource Protection Solutions Team, Memphis, Tenn.; currently serving in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia Although Preston Connell has only been an employee since February 2005, already he exemplifies the attributes of a safety leader. A member of the Resource Protection Solutions Team (RPST) for the Memphis terminal, Connell has volunteered and currently serves in the RPST Safety Leader Program, the RPST Collision Prevention Committee, the Southeast Corridor Safety Committee and the Memphis Terminal Safety Committee. Additionally, because of his commitment to promoting a safe work environment, he has been asked to serve as a resource on a committee comprised of hub facility contractors. Connell has a keen eye and recently identified a location where trash was being dumped, creating an unsafe work environment. The site was attracting rodents and snakes, as well as creating a walking hazard. Connell followed through with Engineering to ensure the area was properly cleared of debris. He then posted No Trespassing signs and worked trespass abatement in the area to prevent future occurrences. Another example of Connell s conscientiousness occurred when he recently identified a hazard in Arkansas. A school bus driver was loading and unloading children between a Y that separates two subdivisions. The loading point required the students to cross two busy main lines while others waited to load and unload close to the tracks. Connell identified a safer location for the bus, and then worked with the school district to change this unsafe condition. In addition, he monitored the situation for two weeks to ensure that the new policy was being followed. Editor s note: No photo available. George Rocha, safety assistant, Kansas City, Mo. George Rocha is a 17-year BNSF machinist who was recently promoted to manager, Locomotive Training, in Overland Park, Kan. As a safety assistant at Murray Yard, Rocha was a member of the local site safety committee and the Argentine/Murray Tier One Safety Committee. While on these committees, he improved interdepartmental communications, and as a result, was asked to serve as chairman of the Argentine/Murray Training Committee, which evaluated and made recommendations for improvements in shop training and education. Because of his reputation for honest, straightforward assessments, Rocha was asked to work on other committees and to personally evaluate the effectiveness of shop safety efforts at the Argentine Locomotive Maintenance and Inspection Terminal. Rocha was also responsible for the Kansas City Diesel Shop s Safety Issue Resolution Process and was instrumental in ensuring that the Closed Loop Safety Process was successfully executed. He contributed to the shop s Safety Action Plan, offering ideas and a proposal to keep programs energized and effective. His work has had an impact on the diesel shop as demonstrated by his efforts to improve safety and ergonomics through either the development or purchase of new hand tools and storage systems; development of machine guards for a 50-ton hydraulic press to remove bearings in traction motor assemblies; and observation for different eye protection and lighting to protect workers who needed to work under locomotives. He participates in the Sugar Creek, Mo., Community Emergency Response Team, which educates team members about disaster preparedness. Gerald Gerry Urfer, signal safety assistant, Billings, Mont. A 29-year employee, Gerry Urfer is a true safety leader who demonstrates genuine concern for others. In 1993, a co-worker was fatally injured in a train incident, inspiring Urfer to become a visible, effective leader in safety. Urfer has worked on various projects that have impacted safety. Notable successes include completing signal-specific lockout/tagout, aerial lift acquisitions, the creation of ladder bracket support, working surface improvements, implementing new highway flagging processes and improving personal protective equipment (PPE). Working with System Safety, Urfer secured new PPE for the Signals team. Two examples are high-visibility workwear and fog-resistant goggles. The increased standards for highvisibility workwear heighten employees visibility on the right-of-way and at grade crossings. This helps train crews as well as motorists quickly spot employees. The goggles help employees better see the work at hand, especially during adverse weather. Other successes include Urfer working with the Montana Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration to develop BNSF highway flagging processes to protect employees and motorists at rail grade crossings. And to create new ladder bracket supports for Signal employees, he worked with field personnel, System Safety and the manufacturer. The supports are now being installed across BNSF s system. In his off-time, Urfer contributes to his community by working with county, state and federal entities to research, coordinate and facilitate training to qualify the local fire department as wildlands firefighters. RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE

14 2007 Best of the Best Work Groups A number of work groups exemplified exceptional safety performance last year, and they are setting the standard for BNSF. Each of the individuals recognized during the Employees of the Year program represents one of our Best of the Best work teams those that worked with a low injury- frequency ratio. Congratulations to all of them for continuing our safety vision that every injury is preventable. TRANSPORTATION: Mark Athey, terminal superintendent, Lincoln, Neb. Rich Dennison, superintendent, Operations, Watson, Calif. Tyrone Fitzgerald, superintendent, Operations, Gallup, N.M. Addie Husbands, superintendent, Suburban Services, Chicago Alden Jenkins, superintendent, Operations, Springfield, Mo. Dennis Mustoe, superintendent, Operations, Amarillo, Texas Danny Ray, terminal superintendent, Kansas City, Kan. Ryan Shoener, terminal superintendent, Memphis, Tenn. Brad Welte, superintendent, Operations, Bakersfield, Calif. Each work group had a frequency ratio of less than 0.8 and at least 150,000 man-hours. Front row, left to right: David Renteria, Dave Moreno, Mark Athey, Verne Peterson, Clay McDonald, Jeff Jarman, Mike Hale and John Stanford; Middle row: Ryan Shoener, Brad Welte, Susan Borsellino, Tyrone Fitzgerald, Danny Ray, Aaron Marshall and Shane Edwards; Back row: Addie Husbands, Dennis Luft, Bill Dorcey, Doug Proffitt, Paul Duncan, Dennis Mustoe, Michael Colesby, Rich Dennison and Mark Sprattler. Not pictured: Alden Jenkins and Amos Lorenzen. MECHANICAL: Michael Colesby, general foreman, Cicero/Corwith, Ill. Mike Hale, general foreman, Superior, Wis. Amos Lorenzen, general foreman, Car/Locomotive, Springfield, Mo. Dennis Luft, general foreman, Tulsa, Okla. Aaron Marshall, general foreman, Houston Dave Moreno, shop superintendent, Interbay (Seattle) Vern Peterson, general foreman, Car/Locomotive, Vancouver, Wash. David Renteria, general foreman, Belen, N.M. Each work group had a frequency ratio of 0.0 and at least 140,000 man-hours. SIGNAL & TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Susan Borsellino, Central () Bill Dorcey, Albuquerque, N.M. Jeff Jarman, Denver Clay McDonald, Fresno, Calif. Doug Proffitt, Seattle Work groups had a frequency ratio of 0.0. ENGINEERING: Roadway Equipment: Mark Sprattler, Northern Lines, Billings, Mont. Division Engineering: Shane Edwards, terminal engineer, Kansas City, Kan. John Stanford, engineer, Montana Division, Glendive, Mont. Engineering teams recognized had a frequency ratio under 0.75 with no man-hour requirement. MARKETING/INTERMODAL: Paul Duncan, Intermodal Hub Operations, Seattle Best frequency ratio per 50,000 lifts. BNSF Performance Measures BNSF Units Handled Year-to-Date through May 20, Coal 972, ,091 Agricultural Products 432, ,717 Industrial 635, ,174 Consumer 1,845,111 1,983,198 System 3,885,810 3,914,180 BNSF Stock 12-month through May 21, 2008 S&P 500 Index BNSF BNSF Velocity Performance Quarter-to-Date through May 20, nd Qtr. Goal Actual QTD Locomotive miles per day Agricultural car miles per day Merchandise car miles per day Coal car miles per day Intermodal stack transit days* Intermodal trailer transit days* *With these measures, the lower the number, the better. Locomotive data is measured as miles per day. Agricultural, Merchandise and Coal active car cycle data is measured as miles per day on the BNSF system. Intermodal is based on average time between cut-off and deramp or interchange delivery. Includes units in business segments 3 0 (International Intermodal) or 3 2 (Domestic Intermodal) and that traveled on train symbols M, P, Q, S, or Z and that have car kind K or V. Container service includes units with equipment type K (containers); trailer service includes units with equipment type V (vans) MAY 07 JUN 07 JUL 07 AUG 07 SEP 07 OCT 07 NOV 07 DEC 07 JAN 08 FEB 08 MAR 08 APR 08 MAY 08 BNSF Reportable Injuries Year-to-Date through May 20, RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE 2008

15 Your Feedback Sought! To improve and strengthen communication with every member of BNSF, Corporate Relations is conducting an employee survey. The goals are to: gather feedback on preferred sources of company information, identify the topics and issues that are most important to employees, and evaluate the effectiveness of certain major communication tools. You will receive the link via payroll stuffer, Outlook, BNSF News, BNSF-TV and here in Railway. All survey results will be confidential. To complete the employee communication survey, you can type this link into your URL: Thanks for your participation and for helping us meet your communication needs! Congratulations Again! As reported in the March/April Railway, BNSF s Alliance, Texas, Intermodal facility this year won a regional Excellence in Construction award from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Recently, ABC announced the project won the group s national award in the heavy infrastructure category. Winners in the competition are considered the best of the best construction projects nationwide. Entries are judged on their complexity, attractiveness, unusual challenges, completion time, workmanship, safety and budgets. The $32.4 million intermodal facility expansion at the North Texas facility came in on-time and within budget. The expansion substantially expands the terminal s storage, staging and lift capacities. Kudos to all involved! Could Your Family Be Eligible to Collect Death Benefits? Families of scheduled employees could be eligible for death benefits of $2,000. Generally, those who may be eligible retired on or after April 1, 1967, from railroads participating in the National Railway Conference/UTU Health & Welfare Plan and the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan (formerly GA 23000). To file a claim or name a beneficiary To file a claim or obtain a changeof-beneficiary card, contact MetLife at or write MetLife, Recordkeeping, P.O. Box 6129, Utica, N.Y Information you will be asked to provide You need to have the employee s Social Security number to determine eligibility. National Merit Scholarship Winners for Named Congratulations to two high school seniors who are the children of BNSF employees and who have been selected as 2008 BNSF National Merit Scholarship winners. Each will receive from the BNSF Foundation Scholarship Program an annual $2,500 grant, renewable for up to four years of undergraduate college education beginning this fall. Student s Name Parent/Guardian Title Location Nora Cross Erik Cross Locomotive engineer Superior, Wis. Matthew Naumann Charles Naumann Maintenance welder Wichita Falls, Texas BNSF Foundation Scholarship Winners Announced The BNSF Foundation has awarded scholarships to 33 children of BNSF employees in recognition of their outstanding high school academic achievements. Each high school senior will received a $2,500 scholarship, renewable annually for four years. The Foundation established the Scholarship Program to recognize and reward outstanding academic achievement and to assist a limited number of college-bound children of BNSF employees with college expenses. Student s Name Parent/Guardian Title Location Adam Anderson Randall Anderson Locomotive engineer Sioux City, Iowa Britt Anderson Steve Anderson Locomotive engineer Crawford, Neb. Jayme Barnes Catherine Barnes Clerk Topeka, Kan. Catherine Barrett Patrick Barrett Engineer, field procedures Kansas City, Kan. Katherine Berglund Bradley Berglund Locomotive engineer Alliance, Neb. Levi Boggs Mark Boggs Truck Driver MOW Gillette, Wyo. Alexis Espanet Konnie Espanet Technology Services senior manager, Texas Heather Green Barry Green Locomotive engineer Glendive, Mont. Cole Grieves Kevin Grieves Manager II, Technology Services Topeka, Kan. Kelsey Hamik Kem Hamik Supervisor Vancouver, Wash. Jessica Hare Mark Hare Locomotive engineer Alliance, Neb. Eric Jensen Martin Jensen Machine operator Douglas, Wyo. Alaina Jones Jay Jones Locomotive engineer N. Kansas City, Mo. Jordan Keller Harold Keller Locomotive engineer Fort Madison, Iowa Lauren Knoth Dennis Boone Switchman Kansas City, Mo. Daniel Kolomitz Richard Kolomitz Locomotive engineer Winslow, Ariz. Mathew Lanter Keith Morehead Manager, special projects Vancouver, Wash. Jared Main Jerry Main Conductor Brookfield, Mo. Christopher Martin R.A. Martin Locomotive engineer Fort Madison, Iowa Charles McCall Jeff Williams Locomotive engineer Springfield, Mo. Andrew McIntyre Timothy McIntyre Brakeman Chaffee, Mo. David Nelson Alan Nelson Senior special agent Seattle Robert Placek Robert Placek Locomotive engineer Alliance, Neb. Elizabeth Powell Michael Powell General director, Disbursements Topeka, Kan. Corey Richards David Richards Manager, Signals Spokane, Wash. Curtis Richards David Richards Manager, Signals Spokane, Wash. Mark Rogers Steven Rogers Engineer, Structures Kansas City, Kan. Jessica Smith James Smith Signal inspector Augusta, Kan. Michael Stewart Terry Stewart Switchman Alliance, Neb. Erik Stoa Scot Stoa Director, unit grain operations, Texas Davian Vernon Kevin Vernon Locomotive engineer San Bernardino, Calif. Katherine Witham Pamela Nehring Senior general attorney, Texas Amanda Zimmerman Don Zimmerman Locomotive engineer Grand Forks, N.D. Please note: Names and parent/guardian names are written as listed on application. Information about applying for the BNSF College Scholarship Program for will be published in the November/December issue of Railway. RAILWAY I MAY/JUNE

16 2009 Calendar Photo Contest Deadline Is July 1, 2008 Entry Form (One form per photo entry. Limit three entries per person.) Name: BNSF Job Title & Location: Employee ID: Address: City: State: ZIP: Work Number: Photo Description/Location: Month Photo Was Taken: Home Number: If a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided, all efforts will be made to return the photo/slide/disk. Mail form(s) with entries by July 1, 2008, to: BNSF Calendar Photo Contest Corporate Relations BNSF Railway P.O. Box , Texas It s time to enter submissions for the 2009 BNSF Photo Calendar contest. The deadline is Tuesday, July 1, A scenic photo featuring a BNSF locomotive could win you the grand prize of $500 and a coveted spot in next year s calendar. (All other winners receive $250.) The contest is open only to BNSF employees. Up to three entries per employee will be accepted. Here are a few tips: Horizontal images work best in the calendar format and will receive higher priority. Photos must include a BNSF train. Only the newest swoosh BNSF locomotive paint scheme will be accepted. Using a digital camera with at least eight megapixels is preferred. Please send a disk along with a color printout of the digital image. Pictures may include BNSF employees working on the railroad. A committee will select the winning photos based on composition, color, quality and uniqueness. The committee tries to select photos representative of each season, various regions of our network and the different commodities BNSF handles. PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FORT WORTH, TX PERMIT NO The Employee Magazine of Team BNSF MAY/JUNE 2008 Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation P.O. Box , Texas