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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the sale of approximately 30 acres of public land to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) for the development of the Barstow International Gateway, a transformative rail facility project. The land, located 0.5 miles west of Barstow in San Bernardino County, California, is isolated and surrounded by BNSF-owned private property, making it difficult to manage. The sale will be conducted at no less than the appraised fair market value.
BNSF plans to invest over $1.5 billion to create the 4,500-acre state-of-the-art facility, the first of its kind developed by a Class 1 railroad in the United States. The integrated rail yard, intermodal facility, and warehouses will support the seamless transfer of freight from international containers to domestic containers.
The project aims to streamline cargo transport by transferring containers directly from ships at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to trains through the Alameda Corridor, up to Barstow. At the Barstow International Gateway, cargo will be processed using clean-energy-powered equipment, staged, and built into trains for nationwide transport. Westbound freight will similarly be processed to enhance efficiency for shipments to ports and California terminals.
This facility is expected to significantly enhance freight movement, reduce congestion at ports, and support sustainable logistics across the region.
© 2025 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.