System-Wide Monthly Update #10

12, October 2006

 

The 2006 capital program which recently received a $25 million shot in the arm, for work on the West end of the DM&E, continues to progress on schedule.  Over 180,000 ties and about 70 miles of CWR have already been installed, on our way to over 240,000 ties and nearly 85 miles of CWR for the year.  Total capital expenditures for the year for the engineering departments of the two railroads will top $75 million

 

¨       All three major CWR projects that involved new rail were completed earlier this year.  Those projects were 10 miles of rail near Springfield, Minnesota on the DM&E, 14 miles of CWR south of Austin, Minnesota on the IC&E, and 11 miles of CWR near Bellevue, Iowa also on the IC&E.  The last of these projects, the one near Bellevue, was completed in early June.

¨       A 17 mile project utilizing used rail from the UP railroad was started in mid-September and is expected to be completed before Thanksgiving.  This rail is being laid by the LA Colo Construction Company under Project Supervisor Jack Boxlieter.

¨       A newly added project utilizing used rail generated by both companies,  as well as some new rail, was started on October 2nd west of Wasta, South Dakota on the PRC subdivision of the DM&E. When completed, this CWR  project will be a total of 30 miles between Wasta and Box Elder, South Dakota.  This year’s portion of the project will be about 15 miles between Wasta and New Underwood, South Dakota.  This rail is being laid by Kanza Construction under the supervision of Jim Nemec, newly appointed Project Supervisor.  More rail updates on the “rail page”

¨       The curve patch program, which consists of over 10 miles of new and used CWR, is progressing well.  The Mason City and Kansas City sub portions of the project being completed this week by the LA Colo and IC&E tie/steel crew respectively.  The IC&E will spend the remainder of the year on curves on the River and Marquette subs.  The scheduled completion for the rest of these curves is between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

¨       The Ossian siding has final grading completed and the crews have been spreading out ties, OTM and rail over the last couple weeks. The new switches will be installed during the week of the 16th of October and final rail construction will be completed that week.  The week after ballasting and surfacing are scheduled to begin.  Surfacing will then be completed and the siding is expected to be in service before Thanksgiving.

¨       Several of the 40 new turnouts that are scheduled to be installed on the two properties in 2006 have been installed thus far.  Other turnouts are scheduled to be installed soon and the last for the year are being delivered to project areas as this web site is updated.  More details on the “rail page”.

¨       All of the 150,000 ties scheduled for installation in this year’s original capital program have been installed on the two properties.  The recent addition of capital money has enabled us to increase our tie installation numbers by more than 90,000 for 2006, all on the DM&E. These ties will all be installed west of Wall, South Dakota and north of Rapid City, South Dakota.  More details on all of the tie projects will be on the “tie update” page.

¨       There will be several major bridge projects on the two properties this year with the most notable being the redecking and rail renewal on Bridge # 1500, the Missouri River Bridge, in Pierre South Dakota.   More information on bridge projects is included on the “Bridge page”.

¨       Surfacing estimates for 2006 are over 850 miles with over 180,000 tons of ballast used.  A progress report on the surfacing schedule is on the “surfacing page”.