Page 8 - Flathead Beacon // 4.30.14

8 | APRIL 30, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Harsh Winter and Freight Traic

Just
Sayin’.

Leave Farmers Waiting

“I’m hoping that we
can do something
to immigration Kalispell grain

and put a stop to it, shipper says freight cars
so the Republican are nearly two months
Party doesn’t go the
late due to delays on
way of the Whigs.”
BNSF Railway
Montana U.S. House
candidate Drew Turiano,
quoted by the Montana By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
Standard, admitting
that immigration reform The delays on BNSF Railway that have
will help Democrats win hampered Amtrak’s Empire Builder pas-
elections.
senger train this year have also impacted
the movement of grain in North Dakota
and Montana.
“As an owner, I’m
obviously disgusted Shippers like CHS Kalispell have at
that a fellow team times waited weeks for freight cars to haul
away last year’s harvest that is now stored
owner could hold in its overlowing elevators. In some cases,
such sickening and local farmers cannot even bring the crop
to the local grain elevator because it’s out
ofensive views . of space.
A loaded BNSF Railway grain train kicks up snow near Nyack in January. JUSTIN FRANZ | FLATHEAD BEACON
As a former player,
I’m completely “It’s as bad as I’ve ever seen it,” said The movement of crude oil on Amer- are committed to restoring service levels,”
Mark Lalum, general manager and grain ica’s rails has increased rapidly in the Jones told the Beacon. “Service improve-
outraged.”
merchant for CHS Kalispell. “Farmers are last few years. In 2008, Class 1 railroads, ments are beginning to occur and we re-
Charlotte Bobcats trying to plant this year’s crop and deliver which include the largest rail companies main focused and committed to restoring
owner and NBA Hall of last year’s crop at the same time.”
in America, transported just 9,500 car- service to the levels our customers need
Famer Michael Jordan Lalum said BNSF has still not delivered loads of crude oil. Five years later, in 2013, and have come to expect from BNSF.”
responding to purported empty grain cars he requested back in Feb- they moved more than 400,000 carloads.
Jones said in 2014 the railroad plans to
racist comments made ruary, a common problem across the re- “I don’t think agriculture is a top pri- invest roughly $5 billion in its infrastruc-
by Los Angeles Clippers
owner Donald Sterling.
gion. According to the railroad, as of April ority for BNSF right now because crude ture, including tracks, locomotives and
17, more than 3,000 grain cars had not ar- oil pays more,” said Kristen Krueger of cars. The money will add capacity on the
rived at their destination to be loaded with Krueger Farms Inc. in Kalispell. “They rails and help improve service.
grain in Montana. It was even worse in say every customer is important, but BNSF is not the only railroad falling
“They lived through North Dakota, where more than 7,000 cars they’re not.”
short in its eforts to deliver agricultural
the tragic events were “past due.” The average grain car was Krueger said the longer it takes to products on time. On April 15, the Surface
of that century, more than 30 days late in Montana and 25 move last year’s harvest, the longer it Transportation Board ordered BNSF and
days late in North Dakota.
takes to get farmers paid, which makes it the Canadian Paciic Railway to submit
but they were not
overwhelmed by The railroad blames the delays on ma- hard to budget for the new season.
plans to increase shipments and give the
them.”
jor increases in freight traic in 2013 and BNSF oicials said crude oil is not agency weekly updates, especially regard-
a harsh winter on the northern plains and causing the delays and the company val- ing the delivery of fertilizer needed for
Pope Francis, canonizing Montana. In early March, BNSF’s main ues all of its shippers. Crude oil still only spring planting.
two 20th century popes — line over Marias Pass was closed twice represents about 4 percent of its overall Lalum at CHS said this isn’t the irst
Saint John XXIII and Saint due to avalanches near Essex. Lola Raska, traic, according to spokesperson Matt winter that BNSF has struggled to keep up
John Paul II — at a Mass executive vice president of the Montana Jones, who added that the biggest increase with demand and, as the weather warms,
Sunday celebrated before
hundreds of thousands of Grain Growers Association, called the sit- in traic was from intermodal and con- he hopes the service improves.
people at the Vatican.
uation a “perfect storm.” But some farm- tainers.
“I think they’re doing everything they
ers also blamed the increase in oil that is “BNSF recognizes the severe impact can to catch up,” he said. “It was just one of
riding the rails through North Dakota and that our service issues are having on our those winters.”
Montana.
agricultural customers in Montana and we
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