Railroad Festivals Highlight BNSF’s Role in Shaping Cities

The railroad is the heart of many American communities, and two of those towns, Amory, Miss., and San Bernardino, Calif., took a look back in April at the impact the railroad has had, specifically BNSF Railway and its predecessors.

Amory was originally established by the KCM&B railroad, a BNSF predecessor, in the late 1800s. In its 36th year, the Amory Railroad Festival celebrated the town’s origin and history through music, food, shows, a 5k race and a carnival. The weekend-long event attracts about 60,000 visitors each year and was once again sponsored by BNSF.

Members of the Resource Protection team shared railway safety tips at the Operation Lifesaver booth.

San Bernardino’s festival is in its sixth year. Also sponsored by BNSF, the California festival celebrated the city’s history and offered visitors an opportunity to view the former Santa Fe depot, which now houses the San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum. Visitors could purchase a ride on a train pulled by historic Steam Engine 3751, which was chartered by the museum for the event. They could also take a closer look at a BNSF ultra-low emission switch engine parked at the depot.

Employees from several departments helped run the various booths to demonstrate the significant influence BNSF has on the community.

For pictures of the San Bernardino event, visit https://www.friendsofbnsf.com/ and join our Friends of BNSF network.