BNSF to spend $124 mil in Montana this year
BNSF Railway announced last week that it plans to spend about $124 million in 2015 for rail maintenance and capacity improvement projects in Montana.
“This year’s substantial investments in Montana are a clear reflection of how important our operations in the state are to our overall network and our unwavering commitment to always operating safely — for our people and the communities in which we operate,” said Dan Fransen, BNSF’s general manager for operations Montana Division. “This year’s planned expansion and maintenance projects will help give BNSF the capacity flexibility it needs to support our customers’ growing demands and connect Montana products to key markets.”
Maintenance projects will include 1,227 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of 52 miles of rail and about 345,000 ties.
It will also include signal upgrades for federally-mandated positive train control, a nationwide system estimated to cost up to $22 billion that will keep track of a train’s location and may use GPS navigation.
Capital projects will include starting grading work for four miles of double track near Glasgow. When completed in 2016, there will be 114 miles of double track from North Dakota to Montana. Another project in Montana will improve the tracks in the same area. Together, these projects will greatly improve capacity on the heavily-trafficked route.
The planned capital investments in Montana are part of BNSF’s record 2015 capital commitment of $6 billion, which was announced last November and is the company’s largest planned capital expenditure in its history.
These investments include $2.9 billion to replace and maintain core network and related assets, nearly $1.5 billion on expansion and efficiency projects, $200 million for continued implementation of positive train control, and $1.4 billion for locomotives, freight cars and other equipment acquisitions.
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. For more information, visit online at www.BNSF.com.