News Release

BNSF Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend

FORT WORTH, Texas, January 18, 2001:

Directors of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI) voted on January 18, 2001, to pay a regular quarterly dividend of 12 cents per share on outstanding common stock.

Dividends on common stock will be paid April 2, 2001, to shareholders of record March 12, 2001. Common shares outstanding on December 31, 2000, totaled approximately 392 million.

Through its subsidiary, The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, BNSF operates one of the largest rail networks in North America, with 33,500 route miles of track covering 28 states and two Canadian provinces.

BNSF Headquarters
BNSF Railway Company
2650 Lou Menk Dr. 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 961057
Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Phone: (817) 352-1000