BNSF Intermodal

Reminder: For all types of intermodal train, blocking is very important (just like Automotive). Cars destined for the same terminal should always be blocked together and not "shotgunned" throughout the train.

For more information on how individual TSARs work, visit the Train Symbols and Routes (TSARs) page.

BNSF currently offers three levels of intermodal service: Premium (Z-trains), Quality (Q-trains) and International (S-trains). There is a fourth class of train - Baretables (B-trains) - that will also be covered here.

• Z-trains
  • These are the hottest trains on the whole system and take priority over all other trains on the network.
  • Run with a guaranteed amount of power, regardless of HPT requirements for the train.
  • On the southern transcon (Los Angeles to Chicago), these trains run with anywhere from 4 to 8 units.
  • On the northern transcon (Chicago to Portland/Seattle), these trains run anywhere from 3 to 8 units.
  • Trains are run with a mix of Domestic Wells and Spines. International wells should never be allowed on Z-trains.
  • Some Z-trains are run solely for a single shipper. These trains will have the shipper name in the TSAR notes (think UPS).
  • Baretables should be restricted on Z-trains.

• Q-trains
  • Basic domestic service, usually run at the behest of a particular shipper, but can carry just about anyone's shipment.
  • Trains are run mostly with Domestic Wells.
  • Loaded Autoracks and International Wells can be run on Q-trains with restrictions, most of which should be in the TSAR notes.
    • Autoracks MUST be placed behind the head-end power.
    • International Wells are placed on the rear of the train and can only be run to fill out tonnage on the train.
  • Baretable are allowed on the rear of the train.

• S-trains
  • International service mainly offered out of port cities (Los Angeles/Long Beach, Portland/Tacoma/Seattle, Oakland).
  • Sometimes dedicated to one particular shipping company.
  • Domestic Wells and Spine cars are not allowed on these trains.
  • Run with the minimum HPT (2.0) as required by the TSAR.
  • Return trips to the ports are often run with empty containers.
  • Baretables are allowed on the rear of the train.

• B-trains
  • There are two types of B-train, those that are just empty wells and spines and those that run with empty containers.
  • Trains with a '1' in the symbol are just empty equipment being repositioned (ex: B-PHXLAC1)
  • Trains with a '4' in the symbol are empty containers/trailers being repositioned (ex: B-PHXLAC4). These can be used for new equipment being moved from the manufacturer or equipment that is just needed in a high demand location.
  • Some B-trains will have a different number. Their meaning should be explained in the notes on the TSAR.
  • Baretable trains are usually low priority unless there is an urgent need for the equipment (rare)
  • Baretable trains can run with 1-2 units as they don't have a high HPT demand. Exceptions to this are listed in the notes for each train in the TSAR.

Block Swapping

One common misunderstanding in FYM is the concept of Block Swapping. Block swapping in its simplest terms means to take a 'block' of cars out of one train and put them in another train that is headed to the destination of the cars. Block swapping is a very common practice in the real world and is done for much more than intermodal. Instructions for trains that perform block swapping are located in the train's TSAR. BNSF has a few major block swap yards on the system, listed in the table below:

BNSF Block Swapping Yards

Yard	Comments
IA: Fort Madison, 1809	Mostly used for traffic to and from CSX and Norfolk Southern that interchange in the Chicago area.
NM: Belen, 1135	Although Belen is mainly used for swapping auto traffic, it can also be used to swap intermodal blocks going to Albuquerque, NM or El Paso, TX.
NM: Clovis, 1040	Clovis is the biggest block swapping yard on the BNSF. Because of this, Clovis also has a number of trains that originate or terminate here to facilitate the movement of intermodal along the system.
WA: Spokane Yardley, 1742	Spokane is not a big block swapping yard, but it can be utilized for that purpose. Like Belen, most of the block swaps in Spokane are automotive.
WI: La Crosse BNSF Yard, 1215	La Crosse is a relatively new player in the block swapping game. It handles many of the same chores for the Northern transcon that Fort Madison does for the Southern transcon.

BNSF Intermodal Terminals

BNSF operates out of a number of intermodal terminals throughout the country (not all represented in FYM). Some are large while others are quite small. The following table is a list of all of the current BNSF served terminals in the game. Off-railroad terminals have been omitted as those will be in the listings for those railroads. When in doubt about off-line loading, remember to only use those yards that appear as options under the available destinations for that particular yard. This information is kept in a different database from the TSARs, and is updated by the TSAR managers as needed.

This table shows the name of the yard, what kind of equipment it should be using, what size operation the yard has, and any pertinent comments about that yard.

• Equipment
  • B = both International Wells and Domestic Wells/Spines are used at this location.
  • D = only Domestic Wells/Spines should be used at this location.
  • I = only International Wells should be used at this location.
• Size
  • S = Small: should not be overwhelmed with high car counts. Somewhere in the 20-30 units range would be good.
  • M = Medium: can handle larger blocks, but is not a primary terminal. 30-75 units.
  • L = Large: major terminal able to support large numbers of equipment at any one time. Anything over 75 units.

BNSF Intermodal Yards

Yard	Eqpt.	Size	Symbol	Comments
AZ: Glendale, 1973	D	M	PHX	There may be some international service from the east (more cost efficient to truck it in from Southern California), so this may change to a 'B' in the future.
AL: Birmingham East Thomas Yard, 1720			BHM	Mostly traffic connecting from other carriers and sent north to Memphis Tennessee Yard for inclusion on other trains.
AL: Thomas CSX, 2409				Information about the operation here is currently unknown.
CA: Barstow, 1029	B	M	BAR	Barstow is a relief valve for the LA Basin area, loading both International and Domestic from that area. It is also the replacement for Fresno Calwa, which is all Domestic.
CA: LA APM Maersk Pier 400, 1152	I	L	LHA	Located on Terminal Island, this yard doubles as the symbol SCO (meaning Southern California Ondock).
CA: LA Global South Terminal, 1163	I	L	LHG	Located on Terminal Island.
CA: Long Beach Container Terminal, 2514	I	L	LBE	Located on Long Beach.
CA: Long Beach Hanjin Terminal, 1149	I	L	LBT	Located on Terminal Island.
CA: Los Angeles Harbor, 1103	I	L	LHW	Although a good size terminal, BNSF doesn't do as much business here as UP.
CA: Los Angeles Hobart Yard, 1007	B	L	LAC	Located in Commerce, CA, Hobart is BNSF's largest intermodal terminal in CA: the operation is split between two different yards. Primarily the Los Angeles Domestic terminal, it also receives a far amount of rubber traffic from the port area for loading at Hobart.
CA: Long Beach ITS Terminal, 2515	I	L	LBI	Not used as much by BNSF as UP, BNSF only originates trains here; none terminate. ITS bound traffic should be put on SCO trains.
CA: Long Beach Pacific Container Terminal, 2516	I	L	LBP	The largest terminal in Long Beach, this is primarily a BNSF served terminal.
CA: Long Beach Pier A, 2517	I	M	LBA	Although capable of handling several wells, it is not a big terminal for BNSF. Recent satellite photos indicate that containers have blocked access to the terminal altogether.
CA: Mariposa, 1313	D	L	STO	Mariposa is located in the Central Valley of CA, not far from the Bay Area. For this reason, BNSF has opted to have business rubber wheeled to Mariposa and have closed the Richmond, CA IM terminal.
CA: North Bay, 1419	D	L	NBY	Although it's listed as large, North Bay is really a pocket terminal. It has one customer - UPS! Some of the hottest trains on the BNSF (and its predecessor ATSF) originate and terminate at North Bay. Strictly UPS, no other carrier is allowed at North Bay.
CA: Oakland BNSF, 2237	I	L	OIG	Oakland International Gateway - the name says it all. The Port of Oakland isn't nearly as busy as its cousins to the south, but a fair amount of traffic still runs through this port.
CA: San Bernardino, 1102	D	L	SBD	Located in the Inland Empire, San Bernardino is a major player for domestic products heading east.
CA: Terminal Island TICTF Terminal, 1146	I	L	LHT	As the name implies, located on Terminal Island.
CO: Denver Rennicks Yard, 1981	B	L	DEN	Rennicks has better access to the Denver area than UP's 36th Street Yard, so it sees a larger amount of traffic. Outbound loads include a lot of containerized beer!
IL: Chicago Cicero Yard, 1470	B	L	CHC	Once only a domestic terminal (with the symbol CIC), Cicero has expanded its role in the BNSF network and now hosts most of the S-trains from the Northern Transcon.
IL: Chicago Corwith Yard, 1072	B	L	CHI	This former ATSF facility is constrained by its surroundings, but still sees a fair number of both domestic and international lifts, as well as handling some interchange with other Chicago railroads (mostly through rubber wheel transfer).
IL: Chicago Willow Springs, 1410	D	L	WSP	Once the eastern anchor for ATSF's fast freights (199, 991), this is the counterpart to North Bay for UPS. However, given the location of the yard along a major interstate, it has now become a much bigger player in the domestic market. Major shippers here besides UPS include J.B. Hunt and Amazon. Willow Springs is probably the single largest user of Spine cars on the BNSF system.
IL: Logistics Park Chicago, 1505	B	L	LPC	In response to the need for having a larger IM facility in the Chicago area, Logistics Park Chicago was opened just outside Joliet, IL where it enjoys access to several major interstate highways. Like Corwith, LPC handles a lot of interchange that is rubber wheeled to other Chicago area railroads.
KS: Logistics Park Kansas City, 2454	B	L	LPK	Similar to LPC, Logistics Park Kansas City handles all of the IM traffic for BNSF in the KC area. After LPK opened, BNSF closed the Argentine ramp.
LA: New Orleans Westwego, 2070	B	M	NWO	Westwego is a smaller operation on BNSF. The domestic traffic comes from either LA Hobart, CA or connecting traffic at Clovis, NM. International traffic (mostly ag products headed for ships) comes from connections at Alliance, TX.
MN: Dilworth, 1586	B	S	DIL	Dilworth's operation is quite small. It is only served by trains that are passing through town (see TSARs)
MN: St. Paul Intermodal Facility, 1491	B	M	STP	Smaller in size than most midwest facilities, St. Paul is the Minneapolis area hub for BNSF IM operations. Primarily a domestic terminal, it does see a number of imports on the international side.
MO: St. Louis Lindenwood Yard, 1736	B	L	STL	Lindenwood is limited on the number of cars it can have on the ramp at any one time (about 1 train's worth), but it's central location means it sees plenty of both domestic and international business.
ND: Minot Gavin Yard, 1582	I	S	MIN	The only traffic here originates in the Pacific Northwest and is limited by space at Minot. Outbound traffic consists of agricultural products heading for Asia.
NE: Fremont BNSF, 2105	I	S	FRE	Like Minot, Fremont has a very limited amount of track space. Also like Minot, the most common outbound commodity is agricultural products heading for Asia via Southern California.
NE: Omaha Gibson Yard, 2203	B	M	OMA	Most of Omaha's business is international imports and agricultural exports. Located almost half-way between Chicago and Denver, there isn't a lot of domestic business that isn't rubber wheeled into the city.
NM: Albuquerque Abajo Yard, 1032	B	L	ABQ	Although not as busy as many terminals on this list, Albuquerque does see quite a bit of UPS business out of Chicago.
OR: Portland Lake Yard, 1868	D	L	PTL	Portland and Seattle share the distinction of being the anchor cities for the Northern Transcons most important trains.
OR: Portland Terminal 6 BNSF, 1877	I	L	PTS	Not being on a main oceanic lane, Portland doesn't see much in the way of international business. In fact, the majority of Terminal 6's business heads north to Seattle and Tacoma to be swapped onto trains at those locations.
TN: Memphis Tennessee Yard, 1450	B	L	MEM	Memphis plays a central role in both originating/terminating traffic as well as traffic continuing to the southeast US.
TX: Alliance, 1556	B	L	ALT	Alliance is BNSF's Dallas/Ft. Worth area IM facility. It is also the point where a lot of traffic heading to Mexico can get swapped to/from those trains.
TX: El Paso BNSF Yard, 2099	B	M	ELP	The actual El Paso BNSF terminal is not very large, but the majority of the traffic moves across the Rio Grande River into Mexico (see below)
TX: Houston Barbour's Cut, 2528	I	L	PTR	Barbour's Cut also goes by the symbol BCU. It's an in-and-out on a vID and only sees two trains; one from Alliance, TX and one from Southern California.
TX: Mexico Eagle Pass Interchange BNSF, 2446			EAP	Even though the map is capable of IM traffic, at this time there are no BNSF intermodal trains that serve Eagle Pass.
TX: Mexico El Paso Interchange BNSF, 2486	B	M	ELP	Doesn't see nearly the business of the Laredo Gateway, but there is enough.
TX: Mexico Laredo Interchange BNSF, 2483	B	L	ROB	Laredo uses the symbol for Robstown, TX because the service to border is actually supplied by KCS.
TX: Pearland, 1358	B	L	PEA	Pearland is BNSF's primary Houston area IM facility.
WA: Seattle Harbor Island, 1538	I	L	SEP	Seattle's Pier 18 is the busiest on-dock in Elliot Bay.
WA: Seattle Stacy St. Yard, 2008	I	L	SEA	Once a mixed facility, Stacy St. is now strictly international business.
WA: South Seattle Yard, 1628	D	L	SSE	The anchor for the Northern Transcon, South Seattle launches several Z- and Q-trains daily as well as being a stop for the Q-PTLALT to Texas. It was once home to some of the lowest numbered trains on the Burlington Northern, which were the equivalent to ATSF's fast freights along the Southern Transcon.
WA: Spokane Yardley, 1742	D	M	SPO	Being close enough to the ports of Portland, Tacoma and Seattle, Spokane doesn't see as much eastbound traffic. However, there can be quite a bit that comes from the Chicago area.
WA: Tacoma Container Terminal, 2712	I	L	TCE	Sitting at the far north end of the Port of Tacoma, this terminal is served by ONE, Yang Ming and Hyundai.
WA: Tacoma TACSIM Terminal, 2714	I	L	TAC	This terminal is undergoing expansion from the BNSF side and may soon play host to domestic traffic as well as international.
WA: Tacoma Hylebos, 1555	I	S		Hylebos is a very small facility and is mostly served by UP. Traffic to/from Hylebos is usually handled on TAC trains to TACSIM where it is transferred by the TMBL.
WA: Tacoma Pierce Co. Terminal, 2710	I	L	TCP	Pierce County terminal is solely an Evergreen operation. However, most of the traffic is one-way with several trains going out, but only one coming back. TCP makes good use of baretable trains.
WA: Tacoma Washington United Terminal, 2711	I	L	TCB	The largest terminal on Blair Waterway (hence the 'B' in the symbol), WUT plays host to a variety of shipping companies. There are always ships at anchor in Commencement Bay waiting to get to a berth at WUT.
WA: West Seattle, WA	I	L	SEF	Pier 5 has had an interesting past, once being the primary APL berth in the Northwest and host to BN's ferry dock for traffic to/from Alaska. The yard sat empty for several years after APL quit and the Alaska business moved to UP's larger facility on Harbor Island. Now, with an increase in business, Pier 5 has again opened and is launching trains for MSC Lines.

As with everything else in FYM, this information is evolving. If you see any discrepancies or have questions/comments/suggestions, please forward them to KEL27.

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