The only Wyoming railroad operated by a Wyoming-based company was recognized recently for outstanding performance by BNSF Railroad.

The Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Railroad, headquartered in Shoshoni, Wyo., was presented by BNSF Railroad with a Special Recognition Award at the 2013 BNSF Shortline Conference in Ft. Worth, Texas, in October.  The award recognized the Wyoming railroad for safety, service, expansion, investment in rail infrastructure and following BNSF principles.

The Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Railroad interchanges with BNSF at Casper and Bonneville, Wyo.  In the last two years, the 20-mile shortline has outlaid capital to build 17,000 feet of new track, including 10,600 feet this year in Casper for the direct transload of mostly crude services and energy-related products.

The shortline, along with its partners Granite Peak Development and Cogent, are in the process of building a double-loop track facility, Casper Crude By Rail.  Completed in September 2014, Casper Crude By Rail handles two 112-car unit trains each day, boosting total annual carload volume to 12,000-13,000.

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