Ties Monthly Update #3

26,June 2006

 

SIX OF NINE MAJOR PROJECTS ALREADY COMPLETED.  TIE CREWS ALL PERFORMING UP TO EXPECTATIONS!

 

Tie crews on both properties are busy again in 2006 with over 155,000 ties scheduled to be installed.  Over 90,000 ties have already been installed in 2006 as this site gets updated.  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, with Foreman Wes Rissuew completed the first project of 10,000 ties west of Huron SD on the Pierre sub in early May. The second project of over 13,000 ties on the lower Black Hills and Crawford subs was completed in early June.

¨       This crew is now on the PRC sub to install over 30,000 ties between Midland and Wall. The crew is doing very well for the first year of the larger gang makeup.

¨       The last DM&E project is a 17,000 tie project between Rochester and Lewiston that is scheduled for later in the year.

¨       The IC&E tie gang with Foreman John Thulen, completed their first major project of the year in early June, the installation of over 20,000 ties on the Marquette sub between Marquette and Guttenberg.  They have also completed the River sub project where over 8,000 ties on the main and various spur tracks  were installed.

¨       The last major tie project now scheduled for the IC&E tie crew will be the installation of 17,000 ties on the KC sub near Ottumwa where John’s crew now is working.   When this tie project is completed, Mr. Thulen’s crew will begin several weeks of installing rail in curves on the IC&E.  The curve program will last well into the 3rd quarter of 2006.

¨       The LA Colo crew has completed two tie projects for us so far this year.  They have installed 10,000 ties on the Owatonna sub and 12,500 ties on the east end of the Mason City sub by late May.  This crew has just recently returned to the property and will install 7,500 ties west of Mason City and 6,000 ties on the Chicago sub as well as install some curve rail on the Mason City sub.

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