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Rail News Home MOW

April 2014





Part 1 : Freight and passenger railroads ramp up 2014 budgets to improve more infrastructure

Part 2 : Large freight railroads forge a heavy slate of infrastructure work for 2014

Part 3 : Small freight railroads' infrastructure programs suggest a busy year

Part 4 : Passenger railroads share ambitious infrastructure programs for 2014

Rail News: MOW

Small freight railroads' infrastructure programs suggest a busy year



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REGIONALS/SHORT LINES

2014 MOW Plans (By Budget Amount)

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (108 regionals and short lines in North America)

2014 track and structure budget: $138 million

2013 track and structure budget: In same range as 2014 budget.

Rail: Relay 75 lineal miles.*

Bridge work: Total budget of about $16 million.*

Ties: Install or replace 675,000 crossties and switch ties.*

Ballast/surfacing: 1,250 miles.*

Switches: Install 25 to 30. *

Other work: Perform grade crossing work and field welding. *

*Information from Genesee & Wyoming's presentation Jan. 6 at the NRC's annual conference


Conrail

2014 MOW budget: $35.6 million

2013 MOW budget: $35 million

Reasons for increase: Inflation and material pricing escalation.

Rail: Install or replace 10.3 miles of rail, including new CWR installation, 136-pound RE common and heat treated, and relay CWR installation, 127-pound Dudley.

Special or unusual track projects: Richmond I.T. clearance project, for plate F traffic to Tioga Marine Terminal on the Philadelphia Belt Line North; installing 2 additional yard tracks in Port Richmond yard in Philadelphia; and flash-butt welding rail joints to generate CWR in yard tracks and branch lines.

Sidings: New Vineland secondary siding in Westville, N.J., 5,544 feet; lengthening of Chemical Coast secondary siding in Linden, N.J., 8,200 feet; and lengthening of Chester secondary "coal" siding in Lester, Pa., 8,100 feet.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 144 pass miles; surface 65.2 miles.

Ties: Install 39,400 wood ties, including 20,000 on the Penns Grove secondary, 8,000 on the Amboy secondary, 7,800 on the Sayreville R.T., 1,800 on the Phoenix I.T. and 1,800 on the Gillespie I.T.

Ballast: Install 16,300 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab A-frame drive mechanisms for River Rouge Bridge in Detroit, $750,000, began in February, involves completely rebuilding existing operating drives and manufacturing/installing 2 new frames; rehab bridge in Jersey City, $400,000, start in May, involves injecting grout beneath the substructure and installing grillage at the bearing; and install remote control at Darby Draw Bridge in Essington, Pa., $500,000, start in April.

Facilities: Install 16 turnouts in 5 yards, including 3 steel turnouts at Bayonne Yard in New Jersey, 3 wood turnouts at Oak Island Yard in New Jersey, 4 steel turnouts at Pavonia Yard in New Jersey, 2 steel turnouts at North Yard in Michigan and 4 steel turnouts at River Rouge Yard in Michigan.

Unusual project: Replace 60 spans of DelAir Bridge over the Delaware River, project is partially funded by a TIGER III grant; and replace the swing span of the Paulsboro movable bridge over Mantua Creek with a new vertical lift span.


OmniTRAX Inc. (16 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $35.1 million (maintenance and capital)

2013 MOW budget: $27.1 million (maintenance and capital)

Reason for increase: Planned signal upgrades across the system.

Rail: Install or replace 18 miles of rail (mixed rail).

Sidings: Construct 12,000-foot siding in Colorado.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 575 miles.

Ties: Install 84,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 50,000 tons.

Bridge work: Total budget of $2.25 million for bridge inspection and rehabilitation work at various locations.

Unusual project: Continuation of bridge management program initiated in 2012; and strategically focusing capital investment on properties experiencing significant growth. Also, the Great Western Railway of Colorado L.L.C. has submitted an application for a federal Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan to rehab the Greely main track and build a 5,900-foot yard track and new 6,200-foot interchange track in Fort Collins, to be bid in summer, involves installation of 10.7 miles of CWR and 8,000 ties, and renewal of 25 grade crossings.*

*Information from OmniTRAX presentation Jan. 8 at the NRC's annual conference


Watco Cos. L.L.C. (30 short lines)

2014 capital spending: Estimated at $30.9 million (involves 175 projects)*

2013 capital spending: Estimated at $21 million (involved 152 projects)**

Note: 2014 budget reflects projects submitted to Capital Committee for approval and doesn't include routine or regular maintenance work.*

Approximate budgets for work segments in four major regions: $8.7 million for tie projects, $2.9 million for surfacing projects, $2.5 million for bridge projects, $2.3 million for rail projects and $2.4 million for other projects, such as crossing surfaces, switch ties and turnouts.*

*Information from Watco's presentation Jan. 7 at the NRC's annual conference

**Information from Watco's 2013 presentation at the NRC's annual conference


Alaska Railroad Corp.

2014 MOW budget: $18.3 million (operating maintenance budget); $6.8 million (capital track rehabilitation budget); $500,000 (rip-rap and drainage maintenance)

2013 MOW budget: $18.8 million (operating maintenance budget); $9 million (capital track rehabilitation budget)

Reasons for decrease: Continue to experience financial challenges that impact spending, are receiving significantly less from federal grants, and 2 key freight business lines (petroleum and export coal) have declined substantially in the past couple of years. Made up some of the resulting funding gap with revenue from other business lines, in addition to substantial cost cutting, including 54-position elimination and company restructuring in spring 2013.

Rail: Continue track rehabilitation program in 2014 as part of ongoing effort to upgrade mainline, sidings and yards from Seward to Fairbanks, involves replacing rail, ties and ballast in areas of critical need.

Major rail projects: Continue to work on the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, a 32-mile rail spur to an existing port, embankment construction is under way on 4 of the project's 6 segments, additional funding is required to start work on the remaining segments, slated for completion in 2017. Also, continue to work on the Northern Rail Extension involving 80 miles of new track connecting the Eielson Branch to a point near Delta Junction, the first phase — the Tanana River Crossing — is slated for completion in July.

Ties: Install 10,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 28,000 tons, ballast surfacing work on about 140 miles of track spread throughout 466-mile route.

Bridge work: The 2014 Bridge Program calls for major maintenance, overhaul and replacement projects, budgeted at $3.5 million for Alaska Railroad-funded projects. Includes replacing a 27-foot I-beam bridge span at Placer River; replacing 3 7-foot-diameter corrugated metal culverts at Indian Creek; building 3,300-foot concrete ballast deck bridge in Salcha as part of the Northern Rail Extension; building 8 concrete and steel girder bridges and 3 oversize culverts as part of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension; and converting an 80-foot timber open-deck to a ballast deck bridge at Little Susitna River.


Florida East Coast Railway*

2014 MOW capital budget: $18.1 million

2013 MOW capital budget: N/A

Rail: 2014 budget includes $2.4 million for rail replacement and $2.7 million for yard rail and tie replacement.

Major rail projects: Planned 2014/15 capacity improvements include 5.7 miles of new double track from Sunbeam to Bayard, $19 million.

Sidings: Planned 2014/15 capacity improvements include three extensions in 2014: New Smyrna South, 3,846 feet, $5.6 million; Villa Rice North, 3,050 feet, $4.8 million; and Spruce Creek North, 3,000 feet, $3.4 million (continue from 2013).

Grinding/surfacing: 2014 budget includes $4.1 million for surfacing and undercutting work.

Ties: 2014 budget includes $2.6 million for concrete, wood and switch tie installations.

Facilities: Planned 2014/15 capacity improvements include Bowden Yard improvements, $14.2 million. Also, continue phases 2, 3 and 4 of on-dock rail facility at Port of Miami, including 2 new tracks for loading and unloading, and build out of all 3 tracks. In addition, complete 42-acre intermodal container transfer facility at Port Everglades by June's end.

*All information from FEC's presentation Jan. 6 at the NRC's annual conference


Indiana Rail Road Co.

2014 MOW budget: $16.9 million

2013 MOW budget: $13.6 million

Reason for increase: Reconstruct White River Bridge.

Rail: Install or replace 10 miles of rail, including 5.8 miles of cut and slide and 4.2 miles of CWR.

Special trackwork: Undercut 19,000 feet of track.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 80 miles.

Ties: Install 55,000 IG wood and 7,500 grade wood ties.

Ballast: Install 65,000 tons.

Bridge work: Construct new bridge at milepost 153.3 and stabilize Tulip Viaduct abutment.

Facilities: Replace 3 90-pound switches with 115-pound switches on Hiawatha Yard switching lead.

Unusual project: Reconstruct 1,300-foot bridge spanning the White River.


Belt Railway Co. of Chicago

2014 MOW budget: $13.4 million

2013 MOW budget: Similar

Rail: Install or replace 7,500 feet of CWR.

Double/triple track: CREATE project EW-1 starting up, involves the construction of a new double track connection and crossovers between the Belt Railway and Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad/CSX line at Archer and 63rd Street in Summit, Ill.

Grinding/surfacing: Conduct spot surfacing work.

Ties: Install 15,000 ties.

Ballast: Install 18,000 tons.

Bridge work: 2 re-deck projects and 6 upgrade/maintenance projects.

Unusual project: Beginning to install fiber optic along right of way.


Texas Pacifico Transportation Ltd.

2014 MOW budget: $11.5 million (includes $8 million in capital expenditures)

2013 MOW budget: $12.7 million (included $10 million in capital expenditures)

Reason for increase: Operating expenses in 2014 will be $800,000 higher than in 2013 because of an expected growth in carloads of 25 percent.

Rail: Install or replace 4 miles of rail, with 115-pound CWR.

Sidings: Rehab 2,250 track feet in Miles, Texas.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 100 miles.

Ties: Install 5,400 oak/mixed hardwood ties.

Ballast: Install 5,000 tons.

Bridge work: Repair 66 bridges between San Angelo Junction and milepost 885.6, $500,000, began in March. Also, repair 13 bridges between mileposts 885.6 and 910, $150,000, start in August.

Facilities: Track rehab in fuel facility area and environmental protection work/repairs.


New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway Corp.

2014 MOW budget: $10 million

2013 MOW budget: $10 million

Rail: Install or replace 9.6 miles of rail, with 136-pound CWR.

Sidings: 10,500 track feet in Syracuse, N.Y.; 2,900 track feet and another 2,800 track feet in Cortland, N.Y.; 1,000 track feet in Binghamton, N.Y.; and 2,800 track feet and another 2,200 track feet at the North Bergen, N.J., terminal.

Ties: Install 10,140 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 30,000 net tons.

Bridge work: Perform steel repair/rehab work at bridges in Ridgefield, N.J., $75,000; Mast Hope, Pa., $70,000; and Syracuse, N.Y., $60,000.


Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway Co.

2014 MOW budget: $10 million

2013 MOW budget: $9 million

Reasons for increase: Increased petroleum, frac sand and stone business.

Rail: Install or replace 13 track miles of rail, with 115- and 136-pound CWR.

Sidings: Build new siding in Hickory, Pa., includes 2 new 115-pound RE No. 15 turnouts and 7,200 track feet of new 115-pound rail.

Ties: Install 45,000 new and 10,000 secondhand ties.

Ballast: Install 25,000 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab 15 bridges at various locations.


Carload Express Inc. (4 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $8.8 million

2013 MOW budget: $9.1 million

Reason for decrease: Less aggressive maintenance budget.

Rail: Install or replace 7.4 miles of rail, with 136-pound RE CWR.

Special or unusual project: Continued freight yard modernization work, $2 million.

Sidings: Interchange siding expansion in Bruceton, Pa., 4,600 feet.

Grinding/surfacing: 20 miles.

Ties: Install 30,000 ties and switch timber.

Ballast: Install 20,000 tons.

Bridge work: Replace 3,636 feet of rail and partial bridge timber replacement at Monongahela River Bridge; replace 552 feet of rail and bridge timber replacement at Youghiogheny River Bridge; and 15 miscellaneous bridge deck replacements.


Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $8.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $4.3 million

Reasons for increase: In an effort to upgrade and make the mainline more fluid, will be installing 2 new No. 20 equilateral switches (crossover), as well as 2 new No. 15 powered switches forming a double crossover. Also will purchase a new Mark IV tamper.

Rail: Install or replace 1 mile of rail, with 136-pound RE CWR.

Special or unusual project: Eliminate 850 joints on track 2 between mileposts 156.5 and 152.2; and remove deteriorated wall and ceiling liner, and replace with new liner in two mainline tunnels (at Rockport and White Haven).

Sidings: Build 1,000-foot siding in Port Clinton, Pa., and 1,500-foot siding in Reading, Pa.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 65 miles.

Ties: Install 25,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Bridge work: Full timber deck replacement on bridge at milepost 2.9 on Susquehanna Branch, $85,000.

Facilities: Install 4 switches in Port Clinton Yard for storing MOW track equipment and rail cars.


Patriot Rail Co. L.L.C. (13 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $6.9 million

2013 MOW budget: $9.2 million

Reason for decrease: Laid out critical curves in 2013.

Rail: Install or replace 4.2 miles of rail, with jointed rail.

Sidings: Build 1,200-foot siding in Kingman, Ariz.

Bridge work: Perform bridge work for DeQueen & Eastern, Louisiana & North West and Golden Triangle railroads, total cost of $600,000.


Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co.

2014 MOW budget: $6.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $0

Reason for increase: Catch up after spending heavily in previous years (other than in 2013).

Rail: Install or replace 2.5 miles of rail, with 136-pound CWR.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 70 miles (mains, connections, sidings and 13.3 miles of yard track).

Ties: Install 22,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 3,790 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab Blue Island, Ill., bridge, new piles and caps, $346,000, start in June.

Facilities: Install new water main, 300 feet, at Gibson Round House and cast-in-place existing sewer lines, 500 feet, at Gibson Yard.

Unusual project: Culvert clean-out program, locating with ground penetrating radar.


Red River Valley & Western Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $6.1 million

2013 MOW budget: $6 million

Rail: Just incidental rail.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 90 miles.

Ties: Install 20,000 mixed hardwood ties.

Ballast: Install 30,000 tons.

Bridge work: Regular program maintenance work on 5 bridges.


Wisconsin & Southern Railroad L.L.C. (Watco)

2014 MOW budget: $4.9 million (excluding capital)

2013 MOW budget: $4.7 million (excluding capital)

Rail: Install 11 miles of jointed rail (new construction) and rehab 8 miles of CWR.

Special or unusual trackwork: Rehab 2 inactive lines.

Sidings: Build an 8,000-foot siding in Milton, Wis.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 150 miles and maintenance projects.

Ties: Install 39,600 wood ties (new construction) and 45,800 wood ties (rehab).

Ballast: Install 58,660 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab 52 bridges throughout the system and replace 10 bridges, various projects.

Unusual projects: Systemwide bridge management program; activation and rebuild of 11-mile subdivision that was out of service since the 1960s; and activation and rehab of 10-mile line that has been out of service since 1995.


Minnesota Commercial Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $4.7 million

2013 MOW budget: $4.5 million

Rail: Install as needed.

Ties: Install 5,500 ties.

Ballast: Install several thousand tons.


Providence and Worcester Railroad Co.

2014 MOW budget: $4,640,017 (not including structures)

2013 MOW budget: $5,066,655 (not including structures)

Reason for decrease: Due to state of Connecticut IRAP grant, will be reimbursed for about 30 percent of tie purchases in 2014.

Rail: Replace or install 1.5 track miles of rail, with 136-pound RE in 80-foot lengths.

Special or unusual trackwork: Rehab and reconfigure yard tracks in Worcester, Mass., to improve traffic flow, includes replacement of 7 turnouts.

Sidings: Complete 1.3-mile passing siding in Cumberland, R.I., that was started in 2013.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface about 40 miles of track as part of tie program.

Ties: Install 18,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 13,500 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab Foster Street bridge in Worcester to accommodate 286,000-pound rail cars/capacity, $175,000; and replace a timber bridge over the Blackstone River in Worcester with a new steel structure, $600,000.


Farmrail System Inc. (Farmrail Corp. and Grainbelt Corp.)

2014 MOW budget: $4.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $5.9 million

Reasons for decrease: Lower traffic and prior completion of major track upgrades.

Rail: Install or replace 2 linear miles of rail, with 115-pound RE and 80-foot joints.

Sidings: Build a 1,800-foot siding in Elk City, Okla.

Ties: Install 25,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 28,000 tons.

Bridge work: Upgrade 2 bridges to 286,000-pound capacity, $150,000.


Madison Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $3.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $1 million

Reason for increase: Rail and tie replacement project.

Rail: Install or replace 5 miles of rail, with jointed rail.

Ties: Install 4,700 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 2,500 net tons.


Lake State Railway Co.

2014 MOW budget: $3.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $2.5 million

Reason for increase: Improve track condition on Huron, Dean and Paines subdivisions, and in Saginaw Yard.

Rail: Install or replace 3.25 miles of relay rail, with jointed rail.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface about 40 miles.

Ties: Install 14,500 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 1,400 tons.

Bridge work: Bridge program includes general maintenance to repair spalling and cracked concrete, and deteriorating timber, and replace steel stiffener.

Facilities: Minor yard track improvements.


Vermont Rail System (5 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $2.8 million

2013 MOW budget: $2.8 million

Note: The state of Vermont will fund about $1.2 million in crossing work and about $5 million in track improvements, funded primarily by TIGER grants, including 7 miles of 115-pound CWR.

Rail: Install or replace 9.5 miles of rail, with 115-pound CWR and 105-pound DY stick rail.

Sidings: Build 2,880-foot siding in White River Junction, Vt.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 50 miles.

Ties: Install 12,600 new wood ties and 6,000 relay ties.

Ballast: Install 15,000 tons.

Bridge work: The state of Vermont will fund about $4.8 million in bridge rehab projects in 2014.


Iowa Northern Railway Co.

2014 MOW budget: $2.7 million

2013 MOW budget: $2.85 million

Reason for decrease: Relatively consistent maintenance plan for 2014 vs. 2013.

Grinding/surfacing: 50 miles.

Ties: Install 3,000 wood ties in main track and 4,000 steel ties in yard.

Ballast: Install 15,000 tons.

Bridge work: Replace ballast deck wood pile trestle carrying 3 yard tracks in Manly, Iowa, $850,000, complete by July; and replace open deck wood pile trestle on main track in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, $1.45 million, complete by April's end.

Facilities: Finish Manly rail port loop and diagonal tracks.


New Orleans Public Belt Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $2.5 million

2013 MOW budget: $2.5 million

Rail: Install 4 miles of jointed and 1 mile of CWR.

Special or unusual trackwork: Install a new No. 14 crossover.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 20 miles.

Ties:: Install 20,000 steel and 3,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 20,000 tons.

Bridge work: Change out 2,100 bridge timbers on 4.4-mile-long Huey P. Long Bridge, $750,000.

Facilities: Rehab 2 yards; change out wood ties for steel ties.


Copper Basin Railway Inc.

2014 MOW budget: $2.4 million

2013 MOW budget: $2.3 million

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 30 miles.

Ties: Install 10,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Bridge work: Convert 1 bridge to an open deck and 1 bridge to culverts, and replace multiple pilings and support timbers on 1 bridge.


Arkansas & Missouri Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $2.2 million (capital)/$2.9 million (maintenance)

2013 MOW budget: $1.5 million (capital)/$2.5 million (maintenance)

Reasons for increase: Bridge program and facility projects.

Rail: Install 2 miles of rail (mixed rail).

Sidings: Build 9,500-foot siding in Butterfield, Mo. (5 tracks), and 1,300- and 1,000-foot sidings in Springdale, Ark.

Ties: Install 18,200 wood ties on mainline and yard tracks, and 5,000-plus ties on new sidings and shop track facility.

Ballast: Install 16,000 tons.

Bridge work: Replace 1 bridge, $500,000, begin in second quarter; install box culverts and fill, new backwall and fill, decking work, replace ties and upgrade turnout on 6 bridges, $882,000, begin in second, third or fourth quarters; and perform maintenance on numerous bridges through second quarter.

Facilities: Complete Butterfield siding/track project early in the second quarter, $900,000.


Regional Rail L.L.C. (3 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $2.15 million (includes capex and grants)

2013 MOW budget: $2.5 million (included capex and grants)

Reason for decrease: Completed a large grant-funded project on Middletown & New Jersey Railroad last year; on out-of-pocket basis, will increase spending in 2014 to address traffic increases.

Rail: Install 3.5 miles of 132-pound RE rail.

Special or unusual trackwork: Start construction on a new yard/transload facility in Avondale, Pa., on recently purchased land to accommodate new business and increased existing business.

Sidings: Build new sidings in Sinking Spring, Pa., to accommodate 20 cars.

Grinding/surfacing: 12 miles.

Ties: Install 500 steel ties in curves and 9,500 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 30,000 tons.

Facilities: Complete an engine house/MOW facility in Kennett Square, Pa., in early 2014 (most of the cost reflected in 2013 spending).


Pioneer Railcorp/Pioneer Lines (15 short lines)

2014 MOW budget: $1.64 million

2013 MOW budget: $1.53 million

Reasons for increase: For most of the company's short lines, will perform bridge inspection and weed spray programs, obtain ratings on and repair bridges, install ties and upgrade crossbucks.

Rail: Install 220 feet of CWR across Spoon River Bridge, Keokuk Junction Railway.

Special or unusual trackwork: State of Ohio grant-funded installation of 10,000 ties and state-funded upgrades to 3 crossings for Napoleon, Defiance and Western Railroad; rehab 2 crossings and state of Mississippi project to install 2 switches and build a small siding for Mississippi Central Railroad; TIGER II-funded project to install 2 No. 10 and 4 No. 8 turnouts in switching yard for the Garden City and Western Railroad; rehab 3 crossings, install 2 switches and build track with state funds for Ripley & New Albany Railroad; upgrade Radford siding with ties and surfacing for car storage at Decatur Junction Railway; and upgrade mainline and siding to accommodate haz-mat business for Vandalia Railroad.

Ties: Install 13,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 7,500 tons.

Bridge work: Remove 220-foot thru-truss bridge and replace with deck plate design for Keokuk Junction Railway; inspect 302 bridges and obtain ratings on 188 bridges.


Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $1,630,000

2013 MOW budget: $1,690,000

Reason for decrease: Slightly less surfacing this year.

Rail: Install 1.3 miles of relay CWR for curve patch.

Sidings: Build 800-foot siding in Belvidere, N.Y.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 28 miles.

Ties: Install 24,000 new Class 5 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 10,500 tons.

Bridge work: Steel rehab on 3 structures, 2 new timber decks and masonry repairs on 2 structures, $500,000, work to continue throughout the year.


Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway

2014 MOW budget: $1.3 million

2013 MOW budget: $1.3 million

Rail: Replace about 2 miles of 100-pound jointed rail with 115-pound rail.

Special or unusual trackwork: Reconstruct switching lead in O.R. "Odie Woods" yard, includes 5 new turnouts.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind about 30 miles.

Ties: Install 5,000 ties.

Bridge work: Replace 2 bridges (150-foot-long timber trestle and 160-foot-long timber trestle/through plate girder) on Amana line with precast concrete bridges with steel piling.

Facilities: Add onto locomotive shop to accommodate the installation of a wheel grinder to perform contract locomotive wheel grinding.


Central Manitoba Railway

2014 MOW budget: $920,000

2013 MOW budget: $860,000

Reasons for increase: Due to changes to track safety rules that took effect in May 2013, have budgeted additional funds to support yearly track testing with a Sperry car and Geo car. Also have increased vegetation program.

Rail: Install 5 to 10 bolted rails.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 14 miles (Carman Sub) and 6 miles (Norcran Sub).

Ties: Install 1,500 softwood ties in Norcran Sub and 1,000 softwood ties in Carman Sub.

Ballast: Install about 1,000 tons in 2 subs.

Bridge work: Redeck bridge in Carman Sub, replace 30 deck ties and remove/replace old ballast, start in May or June, $6,500.

Facilities: Upgrade 4 switches and improve drainage issues at east end of facility.


Southern Switching Co.

2014 MOW budget: $815,294

2013 MOW budget: $325,735

Reason for increase: Major track replacement, which includes tamping whole line.

Rail: Install 1.5 miles of jointed rail; upgrading some of the line from 75- to 100-pound rail.

Sidings: All other than main track, in Abilene, Texas.

Grinding/surfacing: 0.25 miles.

Ties: Install 4,272 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 2,500 tons.


Rio Valley Switching Co.

2014 MOW budget: $621,660

2013 MOW budget: $901,262

Reasons for decrease: Bridge repair in 2013 and unknown tax credit assignment in 2014.

Sidings: All yard limits, McAllen, Texas.

Grinding/surfacing: 20 miles.

Ties: Install 5,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 1,200 tons.


Riverport Railroad L.L.C.

2014 MOW budget: $500,000

2013 MOW budget: $400,000

Reason for increase: Replacing more ties with better-quality ties.

Ties: Install 5,000 wood ties.

Facilities: Construct new office building.


Brownsville & Rio Grande Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $468,400

2013 MOW budget: N/A

Rail: Upgrade 1 mile of jointed rail.

Grinding/surfacing: 4 miles.

Ties: Install 3,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 2,000 tons.

Bridge work: Minor repairs as needed at 3 bridges.

Facilities: Construct a locomotive inspection warehouse with track and inspection pit.


Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $400,000

2013 MOW budget: $1 million

Reason for decrease: Increased spending last year in conjunction with a $2 million project funded by the Washington State DOT to eliminate all excepted track.

Ties: Install 1,500 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 500 tons (railroad funded) and 20,000 tons (state grant funded).


Coos Bay Rail Link

2014 MOW budget: $350,000

2013 MOW budget: $350,000

Ties: Install 1,500 wood relay No. 1 ties.

Ballast: Install 1,500 tons.

Bridge work: Extensive program scheduled.

Facilities: Build 2 storage units with electricity.


Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $220,000

2013 MOW budget: $200,000

Ties: Install 1,500 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 300 tons.

Bridge work: Install stringers and replace deck on 1 bridge to accommodate 286k, in conjunction with Oklahoma DOT, $150,000.


Caney Fork and Western Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $142,300

2013 MOW budget: $107,667

Sidings: Other than main track/yard limits, McMinnville, Tenn.

Ties: Install 1,000 wood ties.

Bridge work: Asking Tennessee DOT to contribute $50,000 to bridge repair; yearly bridge inspections.


Gardendale Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $118,000

2013 MOW budget: $178,320

Reason for decrease: Tax credit assignment unknown in 2014.

Sidings: All industrial and yard tracks, Gardendale, Texas.

Grinding/surfacing: 2 miles.


Santa Teresa Southern Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $72,438

2013 MOW budget: $53,800

Reasons for increase: New track and tax credit assignment unknown in 2014.

Special or unusual trackwork: Could be additional customer or yard tracks installed, depending on business growth.


San Pedro & Southwestern Railroad

2014 MOW budget: $60,000

2013 MOW budget: $130,000

Reasons for decrease: Scheduled a track rehab project in 2013 and are back to repairing bridges in 2014.

Bridge work: Replace stringers with new stringers in all spans on 1 bridge and replace 44 deckties and all guard timber on 1 bridge, $60,000, began in first quarter.


Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd.

2014 MOW budget: Higher than 2013 budget (exact figure N/A)

Reasons for increase: Rail installation, joint elimination and bridge replacements.

Rail: Install 15.1 miles of CWR.

Special or unusual trackwork: Remove 760 joints in CWR, upgrade 2 mainline turnouts, renew 4 state grade crossings and 32 crossings within tie gang limits, install 2 hotbox detectors and replace liftrail assemblies on Mississippi River Bridge.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 178 miles, surface 47 miles.

Ties: Install 32,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 32,300 tons.

Bridge work: Replace 3 bridges, perform minor bridge repairs within maintenance program and replace culverts.

Facilities: Paving work at Council Bluffs, Iowa, intermodal facility, upgrade 2-way radio system and build new office in Council Bluffs.


Semo Port Railroad

2014 MOW budget: N/A

2013 MOW budget: N/A

Note: Budget about $30,000, and depending on traffic and need, increase spending as year goes on.

Ties: Install 250 wood ties.


Twin Cities & Western Railroad

2014 MOW budget: N/A

2013 MOW budget: N/A

Ties: Install 19,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 650 tons.

Unusual project: Relay 4 mainline turnouts due to heavy axle rail-car loadings.

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