BNSF to spend $124 million on Montana tracks

BNSF said Tuesday that it will be spending $124 million 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,” Dan Frensen, BNSF general manager of operations for the Montana division, said in a press release.

Matthew Jones, the regional director of public affairs for BNSF, said that as far as the Hi-Line goes, 14 miles of track will be replaced, 51,000 new ties will be installed and high speed surfacing will be put onto 170 miles of Hi-Line track.

“We’ll also replace a mile of track and 1,300 ties in the Havre Yard,” Jones wrote in an email.

According to the press release, BNSF’s capital projects for 2015 include starting the grading for four miles of double tracks along the Glasgow subdivision and will be completed in 2016. When this is completed, there will be 114 miles of double track form North Dakota to Montana.

BNSF will also be improving the tracks from Crane to Snowden Junction. Both projects are going to improve capacity on the heavily-trafficked route, the press release reads.

The maintenance in Montana will cover 1,227 miles of track surfacing and undercutting works and will replace 52 miles of rail and about 345,000 ties. There will also be signal upgrades for federally-mandated positive train control, the press release said.

All told, BNSF is committing $6 billion to its capital investments, which is a record for them.

“To ensure BNSF’s network operates at optimal efficiency, each year the company allocates capital for infrastructusion projects that will enable it to serve the growing needs of customers from a broad cross section of the economy,” the press release reads.