Ties Monthly Update #1

26, April 2006

 

SEVERAL BIG PROJECTS ON BOTH PROPERTIES HIGH LIGHT THE 2006 PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

 

Tie crews on both properties will be busy again in 2006 with over 155,000 ties scheduled to be installed.  DM&E and IC&E crews are scheduled to install 120,000 of these ties and the LA Colo tie crew will be installing the last 35,000.  For the first time, the DM&E has combined manpower and equipment to develop a 25 man tie crew, similar to what is used on the IC&E for better efficiency and better use of track time.  All three of these tie crews started on April 3rd with summaries of their accomplishments to date and future plans listed below:    

 

¨       The DM&E tie gang will be headed up by Foreman Wes Rissuew in 2006.  This crew started the year with 10,000 ties to install in the Huron yard and west of Huron on the Pierre sub.  The project is expected to be completed May 2nd. 

¨       The DM&E tie gang will then move from the Pierre project to the Crawford and Black Hills subs where they have 17,500 ties to install, and then to the PRC where there are more than 30,000 ties that need to be installed.  When the PRC project is completed, now scheduled for late in the 3rd quarter, this crew will travel to the Waseca sub and finish out their year by installing 17,000 ties between Rochester and Lewiston.

¨       The IC&E tie gang has Foreman John Thulen running the show for the 2006 production season.  This crew’s first project was to install 20,000 ties on the Marquette sub, between Marquette and Guttenberg. This project is nearly half done now and is expected to be completed on or before the 12th of May.

¨       When John’s tie crew has completed the Marquette project, they are scheduled to install about 3,000 ties on the River sub and then travel to the Ottumwa area where they will finish their tie production for the year by installing 17,000 ties.  This crew will then begin installing curve rail until that rail is installed, and then will finish off the year on the double track project north of Kansas City installing CWR.

¨       The LA Colo tie crew is the only contracting tie crew that we are now scheduled to be utilizing in the 2006 production year.  This crew has already completed a 10,000 tie project on the Owatonna sub south of Austin, and now are working on a 12,500 tie project east of Calmar. This crew will also be installing 7,500 ties west of Mason City and 6,000 ties on the Chicago sub near Davis Jct to complete their tie projects for the year.

¨       All ties are delivered and unloaded on site for the year’s current scheduled needs.