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BNSF Railway Co. recently presented Short-Line Achievement Awards to Big Horn Divide and Wyoming Railroad (BDW), Northern Lines Railway L.L.C., and Red River Valley and Western Railroad Co. (RRVW).

Presented to the winners Oct. 16 at the Class I’s 11th annual short-line conference held in Fort Worth, Texas, the awards recognize the “resourcefulness and achievements of short lines that have gone beyond expectations through innovation, determination and hard work,” BNSF said.

“We see short lines’ role expanding in the future as they do more gathering and distribution, and aggregate blocks of cars for integration with BNSF’s network of mainline trains,” said BNSF Vice President of Network Development Pete Rickershauser in a prepared statement.

Formed in 1985, the 17-mile BDW is the only short line operating in Wyoming. The railroad partners with BNSF to build unit trains and provide single-car service.

“By forging a cooperative relationship, we have been able to grow the business, serve our customers and bring additional value to the economy of central Wyoming,” said BDW President Cliff Root.

Launched in 1987, the 517-mile RRVW handles more than 45,000 carloads annually and serves more than 60 customers, including six grain shuttle facilities and 35 grain elevators. The regional has played a leadership role in developing strategically located grain shuttle facilities that have increased traffic volumes and the portion of agricultural products moved by rail, said Rickershauser.

“Our success is based on three things: our dedicated employees, our loyal customers and our partnership with BNSF,” said RRVW VP of Marketing Sharon Trudell.

Anacostia & Pacific Co. Inc. formed Northern Lines Railway in 2004 to operate 22 track miles in the St. Cloud, Minn., area the holding company leased from BNSF. The Class I recognized Northern Lines for attracting new customers, increasing business with existing customers and diverting traffic from trucks, the short line said.

BNSF connects with more than 200 regionals, short lines and switch carriers, which account for about 17.5 percent of the Class I’s revenue.