Page 6 - Flathead Beacon // 3.4.15

6 | MARCH 4, 2015 NEWS
BNSF to Spend $124 Million on Montana
Infrastructure Improvements
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Investment to expand capacity and help railroad meet federal mandate for positive train control
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
BNSF Railway plans on spending more than $124 million on infrastructure im- provements in Montana in 2015, the Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad announced on Feb. 24.
The investment is part of more than $6 billion the company is spending this year on improving its 32,000-mile rail system that stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Northwest.
“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 unwaver- ing commitment to always operating safe- ly – for our people and the communities in which we operate,” said Dan Fransen, BNSF general manager of operations for the railroad’s Montana Division.
In the last few years, BNSF has made big investments in its rail lines across the northern part of the country, partially in response to huge traffic gains in and out of North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields. In 2014, the railroad spent $1 billion on its north- ern corridor, including $400 million in North Dakota, $235 million in Washing- ton and $160 million in Montana.
This year’s improvements will go to- ward surfacing and maintaining 1,227 miles of track, replacing 52 miles of rail and 345,000 crossties. The railroad will also spend money implementing a posi- tive train control system on its rail lines in Montana.
In 2008, Congress mandated that large freight railroads install positive train con- trol, which is designed to prevent train- to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, and trains going down the wrong track. Positive train control was
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A BNSF Railway employee guides an engine into a connection with other train cars at the yard in Whitefish.
BEACON FILE PHOTO
“THIS YEAR’S PLANNED EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS WILL GIVE BNSF THE CAPACITY FLEXIBILITY IT NEEDS TO SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS’ GROWING DEMANDS AND CONNECT MONTANA PRODUCTS TO KEY MARKETS.” Dan Fransen
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supposed to be implemented across the national freight rail network by late 2015, but the Association of American Railroads says it will take longer to complete the up- grade because outfitting 60,000 miles of track with new technology is such a mas- sive undertaking. Since 2008, freight rail- roads have spent more than $5 billion on positive train control installation.
In a press release, Fransen said the improvements made by BNSF this year would help the railroad haul even more freight in the future.
“We know our customers are compet- ing in a fast-paced, global economy where a smooth, efficient supply chain can be the
difference between winning and losing in the marketplace,” Fransen said. “This year’s planned expansion and mainte- nance projects will give BNSF the capacity flexibility it needs to support our custom- ers’ growing demands and connect Mon- tana products to key markets.”
Railroad officials also say the improve- ments would ensure the safe operation of trains through the state. Railroad safety has come under scrutiny the last two years following a series of explosive oil train de- railments. In mid-February, two oil trains derailed and exploded in Ontario and West Virginia.
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