UP slates infrastructure upgrades in Minnesota, Montana

Union Pacific Railroad plans to spend more than $8 million this year to bolster infrastructure in Minnesota and Montana.

The Class I has budgeted $6 million to improve infrastructure in Minnesota, including $3.4 million to maintain track and $1.8 million to maintain bridges.

The Class I has slotted $942,700 for bridge work in Lilydale, $852,000 for yard work in Minneapolis and $815,900 to improve grade crossings between Fairmont and Mason City.

Over the past five years, UP has spent more than $94.9 million to improve infrastructure in the state.

Meanwhile, the Class I has budgeted $2.1 million to maintain track in Montana. The railroad expects to spend $1.4 million to replace 10,000 ties between Butte and Silver Bow, $748,600 to replace curve rail between Moose Creek and Walkerville, and $200,000 to upgrade crossing warning devices on the Butte-Silver Bow line.

From 2013 through 2017, UP spent more than $8.2 million to improve infrastructure in Montana.

The railroad previously released budgets and some details about infrastructure upgrades planned in the following 19 states this year (see separate press releases): Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.