General Info:
BNSF uses a method to systematically assign symbols to all trains operating on their territory. These symbols can be more easily understood if they are broken into their parts. A typical train symbol on BNSF looks like this:
M-DILLAU1-21A
In the above example, each character has a specific meaning to identify the train. There are some exceptions, but we will cover those later.
M - The first letter identifies the type of train. Each train falls into a specific type category, which can be found below.
DIL - The first three letter set identifies the origin of the train. All locations have a three letter identifier, which is used in the train symbols.
LAU - The last three letter set identifies the destination of the train. Not all cars may go to the destination, but the train is scheduled to operate that far, picking up and setting out cars as needed along the way.
1 - This number identifies the section number on most trains.
21 - This is the scheduled departure date. This number refers only to the day of the month the train is scheduled for. Note that this reflects scheduled departure and will not be changed if the train departs late.
A - The last number is a scheduling, route, or contents identifier. It is most often "A," but can be just about anything.
Train Types:
There are 26 train type categories used on BNSF, and they correspond with each of the letters of the alphabet. They are as follows:
A - Amtrak (occasionally other passenger trains)
B - Baretable/Empty Intermodal Equipment
C - Loaded Unit Coal Train
D - Light Locomotives
E - Empty Unit Coal Train
F - Foreign Railroad train operating on BNSF
G - Loaded Unit Grain Train
H - High Priority Merchandise
I - Crew Deadhead Move (Not an actual train type, but call type for crews)
J - High Value/Hi-Wide Special
K - Helpers
L - Regularly Scheduled Local
M - Regular Priority Merchandise
N - Crew Relief (Not an actual train type, but call type for crews)
O - Officer Special
P - Premium Service Intermodal
Q - Guaranteed Service Intermodal
R - Regularly Scheduled Road Switcher
S - Intermodal Stack Train
T - Transfer Train Movement
U - Unit Train, other than grain or coal
V - Vehicles or Auto Parts
W - Work Train
X - Empty Unit Grain Train
Y - Regularly Scheduled Yard Job
Z - Highest Priority Intermodal
Location Codes:
The next six letters are a pair of three letter codes identifying the origin and destination of the train. The location code list is quite extensive, and identifies nearly every location on the BNSF system. To see the list, please see the BNSF Location Codes page.
Section Numbers:
Section numbers can be a little confusing because they are used differently, depending on the type of train. Sections are not used at all on empty or loaded coal trains. On some trains, they can represent the commodity being hauled, priority level, or shipper. First, this is the general application of section numbers:
1 - First Section
2 - Second Section
3 - Unscheduled Train
4 - HAZMAT
5 - Unscheduled Train
7 - Third Section-Critical Arrival
8 - Second Section-Critical Arrival
9 - First Section-Critical Arrival
Grain (G) trains use a different system, to identify what they are carrying, instead of section number, as follows:
6 - Beans
7 - Wheat
8 - Corn
9 - Shuttle Train
Stack (S) trains use some of the numbers to identify the section, and others to identify the shipper, as follows:
1 - First Section
2 - Second Section
3 - Third Section or Cosco
4 - NYK or Hanjin
5 - Maersk SeaLand
6 - K Line
7 - OOCL
8 - Hyundai
Other intermodal trains use a more general system, as follows. Vehicle and merchandise trains use a similar system to this:
1 - First Section Primary
2 - Second Section Primary
3 - Third Section Primary
4 - Extra
5 - Second Section Hot
6 - First Section Hot
7 - Third Section Critical
8 - Second Section Critical
9 - First Section Critical
Empty and loaded unit coal trains do not use a section number or scheduled departure day number at all. Instead, the three numbers simply represent what number train it is operating on that route. The coal trains are numbered consecutively starting at 12:01am on January 1st, every year, and then simply count up throughout the year. The numbers reset at the start of the next new year.
After the section number, the next two numbers identify the day of the month the train was scheduled to depart its originating location. Note that even if the train departs late, these numbers stay the same, as they are the scheduled departure day. The last letter is usually an "A" and is used to identify scheduling, route, commodity, equipment, etc. This last letter can vary quite widely in meaning depending on the train type, destination, and time of the year, so it is highly impractical to try to decipher it.
