Just two weeks after prepping for Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana, Union Pacific Railroad is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Ike in Texas. The storm is expected to make landfall tomorrow or Saturday as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane.
UP crews are moving equipment out of low-lying areas and staging resources to expedite any necessary repairs after the storm. Workers also are tying down equipment in yards and working with customers to secure equipment at their facilities.
UP officials expect to embargo traffic into and out of the affected area, and re-route trains to other gateways.
Soon after the Class I starts to repair any storm-related infrastructure damage, the railroad will begin to improve infrastructure in Nebraska. On Sept. 16, UP will launch a $4.2 million track upgrade project in the Fremont area.
To be completed by September's end, the project calls for removing wood ties and installing 14,300 concrete ties, spreading 25,000 tons of rock ballast and replacing more than five miles of rail.
Since 2003, UP has spent $869.6 million on capital projects in Nebraska, including $256.5 million in 2007.
Source: Progressive Railroading Daily News
