Case Study: BNSF Railway achieves greater intermodal terminal capacity with AnyLogic

BNSF Applies Intermodal Container Terminal Simulation and Planning to Expand Facility Capacity

BNSF Railway, one of the largest freight rail networks in the U.S., faced fast growth at major intermodal terminals but had limited room to expand, especially at landlocked facilities like Corwith and Hobart. To support high-stakes capital decisions, BNSF used AnyLogic simulation software to evaluate container terminal and rail yard capacity planning options before investing.

AnyLogic built simulation models to test crane types, yard layouts, parking configurations, and operating strategies, helping BNSF identify the best ways to add capacity without enlarging the footprint. The results included higher throughput, better flexibility and space utilization, and the discovery of truck-flow and yard bottlenecks, enabling smarter, lower-risk expansion decisions.

BNSF Railway

Mike Prince

Senior Operations Research Specialist