BNSF offers its services to freight shippers

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The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company is now offering handling, storage, securement and transportation of cargo to freight shippers.|ret||ret||tab|

BNSF's Load and Ride Solutions Global offers cargo handling to shippers who use any mode of transportation and any freight transportation provider.|ret||ret||tab|

LARS Global offers a variety of cargo transportation solutions designed to eliminate transportation damage. Services include evaluation of each client's product as it moves through the transportation cycle and recommendations on issues such as packaging, warehouse storage, loading, blocking and bracing, transportation ride quality, unloading and destination storage and delivery.|ret||ret||tab|

Clients receive a written summary of loading, packaging, security and transportation recommendations. The summary includes computer generated load plans and drawings. In conjunction with its recommendations, LARS Global provides detailed training for all client personnel involved in the handling and transportation process.|ret||ret||tab|

"BNSF's freight loss and damage ratio has dropped by more than 50 percent since 1995," said Chuck Law, BNSF's director of LARS marketing and consulting. "We have been providing answers to customer cargo damage and security issues for decades. Our seasoned professionals specialize in relevant solutions that take full advantage of a changing worldwide transportation industry." |ret||ret||tab|

Available services include loading and preparation, development of loading diagrams; cargo handling and ride quality; and cargo protection/security solutions. A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI), BNSF operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America, with 32,500 route miles covering 28 states and two Canadian provinces.|ret||ret||tab|

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Track lease|ret||ret||tab|

RailAmerica Inc. and Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company announced June 2 that BNSF has sold and leased 288 miles of contiguous rail line near Mobile, Ala., to RailAmerica's wholly owned subsidiary, Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway, for approximately $15 million in cash. AGR commenced rail service on this line June 1.|ret||ret||tab|

The 288 miles of track runs from Amory, Mississippi to Mobile, Ala., and connects directly with AGR at Kimbrough, Ala. |ret||ret||tab|

AGR anticipates hauling approximately 23,000 additional carloads and generating approximately $12 million in new operating revenue on this line in its first full year of operation. Major shippers on the line include Gulf States Paper Corporation, EKA Chemical, Kerr-McGee Chemical, Weyerhaeuser and the Port of Mobile.|ret||ret||tab|

Including this acquisition, AGR now operates 429 miles of rail line and expects to move approximately 58,000 carloads annually. Principal commodities include paper, pulp and paper products, chemicals and grain. AGR interchanges with five Class I carriers at various locations, including BNSF at both Amory and Columbus, Miss.|ret||ret||tab|

"This line acquisition is consistent with our strategic approach in North America to build geographic clusters of operations to achieve operating and marketing efficiencies and to grow the existing customer base," said Gary O. Marino, RailAmerica's chairman, president and CEO. "Through its ability to offer shippers single line service to the Port of Mobile, AGR should be able to substantially expand its business base and increase carloads. In addition, this investment should afford our shareholders a significant return on investment and generate substantial free cash flow from operations. Our management team at AGR is truly excited by the reception received to date from new customers and has already identified several new growth opportunities."|ret||ret||tab|

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