BNSF Installs Wind Fence in Abo Canyon

Courtesy of BNSF via LinkedIn

ABO CANYON, N.M. – BNSF installed a 1,300-foot wind fence to reduce wind speed along its track in New Mexico.

In a post on LinkedIn, the Class I announced crews had installed the wind fence to help make the line more resistant to weather-related impacts. According to the post, Abo Canyon is a mountain pass through the Manzano Mountains in New Mexico where BNSF has had track since 1908. BNSF’s predecessor railroad, Santa Fe, built the line. The area experiences high winds, and the fence will reduce its impact on BNSF’s operations.

Assistant Vice President of Engineering, Services, and Structure, Craig Rasmussen, said, “This project is a great example of how safety and service go hand in hand. . . The concentrated wind gusts at this location coming out of Abo Canyon have caused problems in the past. Installing the wind screen will help by lowering the wind impact against the side of trains, which will keep trains safely flowing through the area.”