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Burlington Northern Santa Fe recently purchased about 100 track miles between Council Bluffs and Bayard, Iowa, from Shipper Consortium Inc. Terms weren't disclosed.


Since 1982, BNSF has leased and operated the former Milwaukee Road line, which connects with railroad's mainline at Council Bluffs, and serves a grain shuttle in Templeton and ethanol plant in Coon Rapids.


And now the Class I is trying to secure public funds from the state of Iowa to help pay for line maintenance.


The railroad purchased the line to support shippers' recent investments in grain-handling infrastructure and grain-processing facilities, said Steve Bobb, BNSF group vice president of agricultural products, in a prepared statement.