BNSF Railway, one of North America’s largest freight rail operators, has announced a USD 3.6 billion investment plan for 2026, focused on modernizing infrastructure, increasing capacity, and improving network reliability.

According to the company, the investments are aimed at maintaining a safe network that is ready to meet anticipated customer demand in a context of growing transport volumes.

“Our 2026 investment plan focuses on strengthening and modernizing the network so that we can meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Katie Farmer, president and CEO of BNSF.

The largest portion of the budget, USD 2.8 billion, is allocated to maintenance work designed to keep existing infrastructure in optimal condition and reduce unplanned service disruptions.

The 2026 maintenance program includes:

BNSF states that investments in existing infrastructure directly contribute to increasing network capacity and improving operational performance.

For expansion and efficiency projects, the company has allocated USD 358 million in 2026, following the USD 2.6 billion invested in such projects over the past five years.

Key initiatives include:

completing land acquisitions and continuing development of the Barstow International Gateway project in California;

continuing development and starting construction work on a future intermodal terminal in the Phoenix area;

expanding capacity at the Galesburg (Illinois) and Winslow (Arizona) marshalling yards to increase maneuvering capacity and asset productivity, including railcars and locomotives.

According to the company, these projects are intended to support growing transportation demand and improve the long-term operational efficiency of the network.