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On Jan. 9, BNSF Railway Co. will roll out changes to its six-year-old Loading Origin Guarantees (LOGS) program, which enables forest product and metals shippers to reserve empty rail cars as long as the equipment is used within specified time limits.

Beginning next year, the program will offer more cars — the Class I has expanded its centerbeam fleet 70 percent the past few years to 4,800 cars. LOGS also will provide more flexible online bidding functions. BNSF will conduct auctions for 73-foot centerbeams for four-straight days, offering 25 percent of capacity each day. Shippers will be able to submit a maximum and minimum bid each day; LOGS will automatically increase a bid to the current market level or maximum bid, whichever is lowest.

On the fourth day, BNSF will accept bids for other equipment, such as flat and box cars.