BNSF: $625 million for improvements in Texas, Missouri and Kansas

   In the last two weeks, BNSF has said it will have spent $625 million in capital improvements in three states during 2013.
   The railroad added this figure to the already announced $460 million reserved for projects in Washington, North Dakota and Montana.
   It had already announced a projected total of $4.3 billion in capital improvements for 2013, $2.3 billion of which was reserved for the railroad’s core network and assets. BNSF will also spend $1 billion on equipment acquisitions.
   The railroad will spend $240 million in Texas, a figure that includes money for rail capacity expansion at Fort Worth’s Tower 55; the Galveston Causeway Bridge replacement; and expansion of the Houston Intermodal facility. During these projects, BNSF will continue replacing 115 miles of rail, surfacing and undercutting 4,400 miles of track and replacing rail ties.
   In Missouri, the railroad’s $210 million investment will include improving a bridge over the Missouri River and extending a siding at Jeff. BNSF needs to replace 195 miles of rail in the state and surface 3,500 miles of track. The remaining $175 million is reserved for Kansas; projects there include the Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal facility. The money will also cover new siding, improvements to the railroad’s Topeka shops, and signal upgrades.
   In August, the railroad announced capital investments of $220 million in North Dakota; $125 million in Washington; and $115 million in Montana. – Jon Ross