BNSF furloughs Minnesota, North Dakota workers as rail traffic slows

Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway plans to lay off workers across North Dakota and Minnesota in the wake of lower freight traffic.

The unspecified number of cuts will likely affect rail yards in Dilworth, Minn., and in Grand Forks, Mandan and Minot in North Dakota.

The company did not comment on the actual number of affected workers, but plans to call the furloughed employees back as soon as there's more to ship.

The Grand Forks Herald cited reports indicating the layoffs totaled several dozen. BNSF employs more than 2,000 in North Dakota and more than 2,600 employees in Minnesota.