Canada's Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC) is pleased to welcome BNSF Railway Company to its membership.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, BNSF Railway is a world leader in intermodal transportation, hauls enough low-sulphur coal to generate 10% of the electricity produced in the United States, is North America's largest grain-hauling railroad, and is one of North America's largest railroad networks.

With a workforce of 40,000 employees and routes totaling 51,499 kilometres covering 28 states, two Canadian provinces, and seven Canada-U.S. border crossings, BSNF Railway serves western North America.

"Rail systems are continental and fully integrated regardless of borders," explains Ruth Sol, President of WESTAC. "BNSF Railway is a key component of B.C.'s Lower Mainland rail system and an important link between Western Canada and markets in the U.S. and Mexico," she said. "BNSF's railway lines allow Canadian shippers to access their markets to the south."

Recently, BSNF Railway announced plans to invest $2.4 billion U.S. in 2006 to maintain and expand its rail network, facilities and equipment, an increase of 10% over 2005. The railway will also acquire an additional 310 new locomotives during the year. BSNF Chairman, President and CEO Matthew Rose cited increasing demand for freight rail transportation and improving financial returns as warranting the increase in capital expenditures.

"We are increasing our capital investment program in 2006 to meet anticipated future volumes because we are confident that our Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) will continue to improve."

BSNF Railway joins Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian National Railway and Southern Railway of BC as a member of WESTAC.