BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) announced that its 2019 capital expenditure program in California will be approximately $245 million. This year’s plan in California includes several scheduled maintenance and capacity expansion projects to ensure BNSF continues to operate a safe and reliable rail network.
The 2019 maintenance program in California includes more than 600 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work as well as the replacement of approximately 35 miles of rail and close to 70,000 ties.
Since 2014, BNSF has invested more than $1 billion to expand and maintain its network in California. In 2019, BNSF will continue enhancing capacity through the city of Needles by adding approximately four miles of quadruple main track. In support of volume growth in Southern California, BNSF plans to develop incremental lift capacity at Barstow by constructing new production tracks and parking stalls, as well as acquiring lift equipment.
“With intermodal facilities in nine California cities that connect West Coast Ports to major U.S. markets, the state is crucial to the success of BNSF’s rail network,” said Donnie Stilwell, general manager of operations, California Division. “Committing to ongoing maintenance projects and enhancements in the state highlights our dedication to Californians to move the more than 4 million carloads of freight we move through the state each year safely and efficiently.”
The 2019 planned capital investments in the state are part of BNSF’s $3.57 billion network-wide capital expenditure program announced earlier this month. These investments include roughly $2.47 billion to replace and maintain core network and related assets, approximately $760 million on expansion and efficiency projects and about $340 million for freight cars and other equipment acquisitions.