BNSF Railway says it plans
to invest about $106 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement and expansion
projects within Washington State this year, including one near the Port of Longview.
“BNSF’s investments will
improve our ability to provide rail freight services to Washington businesses and
communities and will expand opportunities to create more jobs and growth for the
Washington economy,” railway chair and CEO Matthew K. Rose said.
Capacity enhancement projects
in the state include the construction of a new lead to access the Port of Longview,
as well as signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control.
The railway says it is also
continuing its track maintenance program in Washington, which includes 1,020 miles
of track surfacing and undercutting work as well as the replacement of 56 miles
of rail and about 178,000 ties.
The planned capital investments
in Washington are part of BNSF’s total 2012 capital commitment of $3.9 billion.
The largest component of the capital plan is spending $2.1 billion on BNSF's core
network and related assets. BNSF also plans to spend approximately $1.1 billion
on locomotive, freight car and other equipment acquisitions, many of which will
serve Washington. The program also includes about $300 million for federally mandated
positive train control and $400 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion
and efficiency projects.
In May the railway announced
it plans to spend $120 million on rail capacity improvement and maintenance projects
within California, including installation of an automated gate system at its Hobart
Intermodal Facility in the Los Angeles area to increase the velocity of container/trailer
processing.
The California plan also
includes 786 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of
40 miles of rail and about 377,000 ties and train control signal upgrades.
