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In March and April, BNSF Railway Co. logged more miles per gallon of diesel thanks to employees’ efforts to adhere to operating practices, according to the Class I’s “BNSF Today” Web site.

In March, the railroad increased gross ton miles (GTMs) per gallon by 1 percent compared with March 2005; in April, BNSF boosted GTMs by 4.6 percent.

Crews increased the number of cars per train, reduced power and stretch braking, shut down idling locomotives in shops and yards, applied wheel flange lubricants and employed distributed power.

“It’s the best April we’ve ever had,” said Jeff Wright, assistant vice president of the locomotive utilization group. “The key is to work toward sustaining and extending these fuel-efficiency achievements.”

Each year, BNSF uses about 1.5 billion gallons of diesel, which constitute the railroad’s largest material expense. To gain long-term fuel savings, the Class I plans to use more fuel-efficient locomotives, and consist-management and train-pacing systems.