News Release

Holiday Cheer Rolls Through Southern California Aboard the BNSF Santa Claus Express

San Bernardino, California, December 2, 2008:

Santa Claus and his merry helpers will ride the rails and distribute gifts to hundreds of deserving children on board the 18th annual BNSF Santa Claus Express train as it travels through Southern California beginning December 4^th through December 8^th.

Children are selected for the free rides by the Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children, Starlight Foundation, Scottish Rite, YWCA of Wilmington, Harbor Interfaith of San Pedro, Comprehensive Child Development Center, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation and the City of Hope Hospital, among other organizations. BNSF employee volunteers will host the children and help Santa Claus deliver gifts and refreshments during each of the trips.

"At BNSF we work with trains everyday, but The Santa Claus Express is particularly special for our company and our employees," says Mark Kirschinger, General Manager for the California Division. "It's a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to the many communities that we serve."

At least 1,000 invited children and adults are expected to ride the special BNSF train consisting of two locomotives and five passenger cars as it travels through the Southern California region.  It will depart from BNSF's Commerce Diesel Facility, 6300 East Sheila St in Commerce, Thursday, December 4 at 9:00 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Banning's Landing Community Center, 100 East Water Street in Wilmington, Friday, December 5th at 10:00 a.m.; and the old Santa Fe depot, 1170 W. Third St. in San Bernardino, Saturday, December 6, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.  On Sunday, December 7, the train will make one trip leaving the City of Hope Hospital, 1500 E. Duarte in Duarte at 10:00 a.m.  The final trip will depart the Amtrak platform in Victorville, 1683 D St. in Victorville, Monday, December 8, at 10:00 am.

A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI), BNSF Railway Company operates one of the largest North American rail networks, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF is among the world's top transporters of intermodal traffic, moves more grain than any other American railroad, carries the components of many of the products we depend on daily, and hauls enough low-sulphur coal to generate about ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. BNSF is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at www.bnsf.com.

BNSF Headquarters
BNSF Railway Company
2650 Lou Menk Dr. 2nd Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76131-2830
P.O. Box 961057
Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Phone: (817) 352-1000