BNSF News

BNSF Special Offers a Popular Train Ride

2010-06-21

As the BNSF Special rolled into Topeka early Saturday, June 19, Jeff Schmid sat quietly at the conference table in the Missouri River business car and added numbers.

"I believe we set a new record," Schmid said, smiling. "The numbers tell the story. We are returning to cities that we visited when we first started the BNSF Special, and those people remember how great the trip was. Word has spread, and they don't want to miss it when it comes through the second time."

In fact, 12,594 passengers rode this year on the BNSF Special as it snaked through 13 cities on its 6,000-mile journey. The Special averaged a record 332 riders per trip.

Schmid, who has worked on the Special for 14 years, said the old record of total ridership was surpassed by more than 500 riders.

In St. Louis, two of the riders on the Boys & Girls Club trip recalled riding the train when it last visited St. Louis in 2002. Chelsey Kiner (pictured at right with her camp group) and Colin Smith, who are now both staff members with the local Herbert Hoover club, remember riding the train when they were kids in the summer program more than eight years ago. "The BNSF Special trip really made an impression," Smith said. "That was the first time I'd ever ridden a train. We were able to tell our club's kids exactly what to expect and how much fun it was going to be."

The last ride of the season was in Brookfield, Mo., on Friday night, June 18. Capacity crowds from the rural town and surrounding communities were treated to a scenic ride east through rolling hills and pastures.

"Our employees are really excited about this," said Scott Tweet, a trainmaster in Brookfield who rode the last trip. "It is great that we can bring our families on board and show them a great time. Everyone really enjoys it."

Earlier that day, the Linn County Historic Society was the guest of honor on the 1 p.m. trip. They were joined by city officials as Tweet presented the group with a $5,000 check from the BNSF Foundation.

Joe Faust, director, Public Affairs, and long-time coordinator of the Special, said, "We were, as always, pleased to provide these trips for employees, their families and special guests. We appreciate the staff and crew, who worked so hard to help make this year's trip run so smoothly."

Several special groups also boarded the train as fundraisers for various Boys & Girls Clubs and other select organizations on this year's route.

Faust said planning for the 2011 trip will begin in a few months.

Click here to see photos.

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