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A team of Burlington Northern Santa Fe employees recently completed a consulting mission in West Africa.

During the seven-day trip, "Team BNSF" members held meetings with the Mali Minister of Transportation, his staff and the U.S. Ambassador to Mali, Vicki Huddlestone, according to the Dec. 6 edition of "BNSF Today," which is posted on BNSF’s Web site. Representing BNSF were Steve Millsap, assistant vice president, structures; Bill Heileman, general director; and Mike Ingle, manager, protection solutions, both with BNSF's Resource Protection Solutions Team.

The team traveled to Bamako, Mali, West Africa, at the request of the U.S. State Assistance Program.

The team conducted an on-site assessment of rail operations, communications, security, train dispatching, passenger-rail service, intermodal operations, and bridges and structures.

"We found the Mali Railroad to be something very similar to our operations back in the 1930s and '40s," Millsap told BNSF Today. "There has been very few technological advancements to enhance efficiency or security. The railroad was privatized in October 2003 and the company responsible for the operation and maintenance is committed to making the Mali/Senegal Railroad an efficient and secure transportation system similar to North America railroads. Our team will be provide them with several recommendations for improvement, the greatest being to invest in telecommunication technologies."

U.S. State Department Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program Representative Wayne Cleveland hosted the trips, and the U.S. Embassy provided vehicles and interpreters for all meetings and tours.

Mali is a landlocked country surrounded by Senegal, Mauritania, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger and Algeria.