LRW Honors Amtrak’s Acheson As Railway Woman Of The Year
From Editor-In-Chief Foran: Of Gender Equity And Inclusion
Spotlight On Some Of Today’s Rail Safety Products
Women of Influence in Rail eBook
Newsletter Sign Up
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
railPrime
Rail News Home
Maintenance Of Way
Rail News: Maintenance Of Way
11/4/2003
Rail News: Maintenance Of Way
BNSF readies mainline for peak season traffic boom
advertisement
Burlington Northern Santa Fe recently increased its Los Angeles-to-Chicago Transcon line capacity — just in time for the pre-holiday peak shipping season. On Oct. 29, the Class I opened a 14-mile double-track section on the Panhandle Subdivision between Coburn and Clear Creek, Texas.
The line's capacity will increase even more in mid-November — the target opening of a 16-mile double-track section between Lora and Canadian, Texas. The sections are the second and third phases of a three-phased project designed to increase the railroad's intermodal capacity; in July, BNSF previously opened a 13.5-mile Lora-to-Codman double-track segment.
"What is so significant about the project is the accelerated schedule — a large project that might normally require a year or more to design, engineer, permit and build was accomplished in about seven months," said Robert Boileau, BNSF assistant vice president of engineering services, in a prepared statement.
During the third quarter, BNSF's intermodal revenue increased about 8 percent compared with the same 2002 period and the railroad expects business to boom even more in the fourth quarter. During the peak season, the Class I plans to operate 75 daily trains in the subdivision compared with 60 daily trains off-peak. The double track is designed to relieve bottlenecks along the Transcon's Texas portion.
In the second quarter, BNSF also expects to complete a 14-mile double-track section between Curtis and Woodward, Okla.
The line's capacity will increase even more in mid-November — the target opening of a 16-mile double-track section between Lora and Canadian, Texas. The sections are the second and third phases of a three-phased project designed to increase the railroad's intermodal capacity; in July, BNSF previously opened a 13.5-mile Lora-to-Codman double-track segment.
"What is so significant about the project is the accelerated schedule — a large project that might normally require a year or more to design, engineer, permit and build was accomplished in about seven months," said Robert Boileau, BNSF assistant vice president of engineering services, in a prepared statement.
During the third quarter, BNSF's intermodal revenue increased about 8 percent compared with the same 2002 period and the railroad expects business to boom even more in the fourth quarter. During the peak season, the Class I plans to operate 75 daily trains in the subdivision compared with 60 daily trains off-peak. The double track is designed to relieve bottlenecks along the Transcon's Texas portion.
In the second quarter, BNSF also expects to complete a 14-mile double-track section between Curtis and Woodward, Okla.
