Local workers hope BNSF purchase gives RR boost

BARSTOW • Some workers at the Barstow railyard of Burlington Northern Santa Fe like locomotive engineer Ed Trujillo say the recent acquisition of BNSF by billionaire Warren Buffett’s investment company shows a sign of confidence in the railroad industry.

And in these economic times, any positive affirmation of the industry you’re working in is a good sign, Trujillo said.

Buffett’s company Berkshire Hathaway recently announced its plans to buy up BNSF, of which it already owns a 22 percent stake, for a total value of $34 billion, according to the Associated Press. The purchase still requires approval from both Burlington shareholders and antitrust regulators, both of which are expected in early 2010. BNSF employs about 1,000 local residents and is Barstow’s third largest employer, according to city records.

When BNSF worker Ray Silva first heard the news, Silva immediately recognized Buffett’s image as “a successful business man.”

“I kind of thought it was a good thing,” said Silva, a locomotive engineer currently working as a switchman.

“Hopefully this new takeover will boost the business and create more jobs and bring people back to work,” he said, noting that since last January about 40 workers in his department had been furloughed or sent to work out of state.

The overall economy has taken a toll on the railroad business, according to Silva, who said that the yard usually starts seeing more loads come through by the end of summer and get even busier as the holidays approach.

“It doesn’t even seem like...peak season,” he said.

According to Trujillo, a 33-year employee at BNSF and head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers union, the acquisition will not change any union contracts. There have been no announcements of any changes to increase or decrease the workforce so far, he said.

According to company spokeswoman Lena Kent, there are currently no plans to make any changes at the Barstow yard.

Silva noted that an outside contracting group, dubbed “The Best Way,” has been observing and analyzing employee tasks and the workflow for the past several months and has made changes to increase efficiency. He said he wasn’t sure, however, if it was directly related to preparations for a change in ownership.

Trujillo said the consensus among the water cooler chatter at the Barstow yard is that “we would rather have our company purchased by Warren Buffett...than bailed out by the federal government,” referring to other major American industries — like banking and automotive — trying to survive in the current economic climate.

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