BNSF Today

New Wind Fence Adds Extra Safety Component for Operations

2005-11-02

Wind fences are making life easier for BNSF Operations employees in western Montana, by reducing heavy winds up to 50 percent compared with 25 percent with older versions.

The new wind fences are made of four-cabled belts, run through polymer "sleeves" bolted horizontally to 50-foot H-piles (steel posts) driven halfway into the ground. The older fences were made of wood and snow-fence fabric.

BNSF began installing the new wind fences last year near Browning, Mont., and at the east entrance to Glacier National Park along the Midvale Creek bridge.

Wind protection is very important in the Browning subdivision because of a large right-hand curve near milepost 1124 that routinely gets 60 to 100 mile-per-hour winds. The Midvale Creek bridge is prone to similar problems and is noted for being very high.

"With such high wind speeds, empty, double-stacked container cars (which are about 20 feet high) can turn into 'sails,'" explains BNSF Division Engineer Rick Harman located in Havre, Mont. "As a result, the propensity for derailments increases as do other operational problems."

BNSF uses a system of anemometers installed along the line to measure wind speed, direction and temperatures that sends special "wind alert" notification to dispatchers. In addition, operations protocols are in place to stop and hold empty railcars when winds are too high.

Although more expensive, the new wind fences are definitely more effective and have reduced the number of operating restrictions on the line due to wind, says BNSF Structures Supervisor Dwayne Whitaker, also in Havre. "When the wind is blowing and you step behind the fences, it’s like stepping behind a building," Whitaker explains.

BNSF has been installing the fences near Browning in 800-foot phases. The first installment was in 2004; the second, this year; and the final phase will be completed in 2006. The Midvale bridge installation was started last November and completed in April.

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