UP outlines $77 million infrastructure investment in Oregon

Union Pacific Railroad will spend $77 million on infrastructure projects aimed at improving safety and efficiency in Oregon, the Class I announced yesterday.

The railroad's investment plan for the state includes $44.7 million to maintain railroad track and $3.2 million to maintain bridges, according to a UP press release.

Key projects planned for 2017 include:
• replacing 21 miles of rail on the line between Klamath Falls and Chemult, $9.3 million;
• replacing 87,978 ties on the rail line between Huntington, Ore., and Caldwell, Idaho, $12 million; and
• replacing 102,683 ties on the rail line between Oakridge and Portland, $14.3 million.

"Union Pacific's targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimize delays as trains travel through communities across Oregon," said Wes Lujan, vice president-public affairs in UP's western region.

This year's $77 million capital expenditure in Oregon is part of UP's ongoing investment strategy. The railroad has spent more than $305 million between 2012 and 2016 to strengthen its infrastructure in the state.

UP plans to spend $3 billion in capital expenditures across its network this year. The Class I has invested $51 billion since 2000, which contributed to a 40 percent decrease in derailments during the same time frame, company officials said.