Pros
The people are great. They are welcoming, full of pride, and all of us enjoy the history here at BNSF. There aren't many places these days where retirement is an option. At BNSF, nearly everyone will get to retire. Great presence with the many branches of the military, and BNSF frequently hires those with history in the armed forces. Female leadership is now becoming more common. It's nice to see a company that was primarily male led, transition into a very diverse organization. Attrition is primarily caused by retirement, which means more opportunity for new hires! BNSF focuses heavily on how to bridge the gap between generations, as they have such a diverse workforce. With BNSF you can go anywhere and do anything! The country is your canvas, and whatever path you can imagine, is just waiting for the taking. Benefits are AMAZING for hourly employees. Nearly 100% paid for, with incredibly generous medical benefits. There aren't many places in 2012 where you can work, and get such a solid place of employment. It's a great organization to work for.
Cons
Outsiders, new hires, are somewhat frowned upon. The organization tends to promote within, a very noble quality for organizations these days. When new hires come in from external organizations, they have a more difficult time acclimating to the environment. Initially, the teams are cautious, but ultimately welcome outsiders with open arms. Because BNSF is such an old organization, with a significant amount of history, change is commonly frowned upon or is difficult to obtain a following for. You can still see some resistance to using email, mobile phones, etc. The organization as a whole, really likes face to face contact which is great, however that can sometimes clash with the younger generations who prefer email and text message. On the flip side, BNSF focuses heavily on bridging the generation gap as attrition rates increase due to retirement.