BNSF’S Carl Ice named Railroader of the Year
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-In-Chief, Railway AgeCarl R. Ice, president and chief executive officer of BNSF Railway, has been named 2016 Railroader of the Year by railroad industry trade journal Railway Age. Ice is Railway Age's 53rd Railroader of the Year.
“Under Carl Ice’s leadership, BNSF continues to make significant investments in four key areas—capacity, locomotives, people and equipment—to ensure future capacity to meet its customers’ needs,” said Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono. “BNSF in 2015 devoted $1.5 billion of its $6 billion capital budget in terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects. It can proudly say it operates the industry’s fastest, most reliable intermodal service. Carl Ice exemplifies the commitment to excellence and growth the Railroader of the Year represents.”
Ice will be honored on March 15, 2016, at Chicago’s Union League Club. Railway Age will tell the story of Carl Ice and the organization he leads at BNSF with a cover story in the magazine’s January 2016 issue, which will also be available online at www.railwayage.com.
“I’m humbled by this honor and believe this recognition is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of everyone at BNSF,” said Ice. “I have always said BNSF is great company with great people. We all know that to continue to be successful we must keep our focus on operating safely in the communities we serve and running a strong operation to provide the level of service that our customers expect.”
Carl Ice is the second BNSF CEO, following Matt Rose in 2010, to be named Railroader of the Year. Modern Railroads magazine founded the award, one of the most prestigious in the railroad industry, in 1964 as the “Man of the Year.” Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1991 and has presented the award annually since then.
About BNSF
BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight transportation companies operating on 32,500 route miles of track in 28 states and three Canadian provinces. BNSF is one of the top transporters of consumer goods, grain and agricultural products, low-sulfur coal, and industrial goods such as petroleum, chemicals, housing materials, food and beverages. BNSF’s shipments help feed, clothe, supply, and power American homes and businesses every day. BNSF and its employees have developed one of the most technologically advanced, and efficient railroads in the industry. We work continuously to improve the value of the safety, service, energy, and environmental benefits we provide to our customers and the communities we serve. You can learn more about BNSF at www.BNSF.com.
About Railway Age
Railway Age (www.railwayage.com) is a monthly trade magazine circulated at the management levels of North American freight and passenger railroads. Founded in Chicago, Ill., in 1856, it is the transportation industry’s longest-running trade publication. Railway Age is published by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y.
Railroader of the Year recipients:
1964: D. W. Brosnan, Southern Railway System
1965: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
1966: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
1967: Louis W. Menk, Northern Pacific Railway
1968: William B. Johnson, Illinois Central Railroad
1969: John W. Barriger, Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
1970: John S. Reed, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
1971: Jervis Langdon, Jr., Penn Central Transportation Co.
1972: Charles Luna, United Transportation Union
1973: James B. Germany, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
1974: L. Stanley Crane, Southern Railway System
1975: Frank E. Barnett, Union Pacific Railroad
1976: Dr. William J. Harris, Jr., Association of American Railroads
1977: Edward G. Jordan, Conrail
1978: Robert M. Brown, Union Pacific Railroad
1979: Theodore C. Lutz, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
1980: John G. German, Missouri Pacific Railroad Co.
1981: Lawrence Cena, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
1982: A. Paul Funkhouser, Family Lines Rail System
1983: L. Stanley Crane, Conrail
1984: Hays T. Watkins, CSX Corp.
1985: John L. Cann, Canadian National
1986: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., Trailer Train Co.
1987: Willis B. Kyle, Kyle Railways
1988: Darius W. Gaskins, Jr., Burlington Northern
1989: W. Graham Claytor, Jr., Amtrak
1990: Arnold B. McKinnon, Norfolk Southern
1991: Mike Walsh, Union Pacific Railroad
1992: William H. Dempsey, Association of American Railroads
1993: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., TTX Co.
1994: L. S. “Jake” Jacobson, Copper Basin Railway
1995: Edwin Moyers, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
1996: Robert D. Krebs, AT&SF, and Gerald Grinstein, Burlington Northern
1997: Paul M. Tellier, Canadian National
1998: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
1999: Edward A. Burkhardt, Wisconsin Central Transportation Co.
2000: The Railroad Worker (award presented as “Railroader of the Century” for 2000)
2001: Michael R. Haverty, Kansas City Southern
2002: E. Hunter Harrison, Canadian National/Illinois Central
2003: Richard K. Davidson, Union Pacific Railroad
2004: Robert J. Ritchie, Canadian Pacific Railway
2005: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
2006: Richard F. Timmons, American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association
2007: William E. Wimmer, Union Pacific Railroad
2008: Stephen C. Tobias, Norfolk Southern
2009: Michael J. Ward, CSX
2010: Matthew K. Rose, BNSF
2011: Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern
2012: David L. Starling, Kansas City Southern
2013: James R. Young, Union Pacific
2014: Joseph H. Boardman, Amtrak
2015: E. Hunter Harrison, Canadian Pacific
2016: Carl R. Ice, BNSF Railway