How Rail is Helping Heroes

October 7, 2020

It’s easy to forget that rail can serve more purposes than transporting freight and passengers. Right now, trains are playing an instrumental role in containing the wildfires that have been quickly spreading across the West Coast.

In Northern California, Union Pacific Railroad loaded trains with 12,000 gallons of water, pumps and hoses. Employees aboard the water trains travel back and forth over a 7-mile stretch of land, putting out fires as they go. In Washington, BNSF Railway water trains have allowed firefighters to reach hard-to-access hot spots. These trains are firefighters’ only way of reaching these spots with an ample supply of water, since firetrucks cannot access the areas.

I salute each and every one of these employees and firefighters for stepping up to battle these raging wildfires. 2020 has been a year of heroism, and these brave citizens are no exception.

Originally posted by Larry Jordan on LinkedOn – 10/5/2020