System-Wide Weekly Update #11

24 June 2004

 

 

We have had another very busy week on both properties.  We unloaded a trainload of CWR in the Calmar area on the IC&E, installed another 7 track miles of 136# CWR on the DM&E, as well as installed another 10,000 ties and surfaced another 20 miles of track.  All of this has been accomplished while the engineering forces continue to do their normal maintenance duties and while the IC&E has been battling storm and flooding problems.  There have now been over 110,000 ties installed and over 105,000 tons of ballast spread across the two systems.  Along with that over 245 pass miles of track have been surfaced and 65 miles of CWR installed.  The DM&E portion of the CWR laying will be completed by July 15th, which is about the time we will start the 2004 CWR projects on the IC&E.  The 15 remaining miles of CWR to be laid in the Calmar area will be completed by the end of August and the 10 mile curve replacement program will continue through the end of the year.  Siding work continues to progress with the second siding, Sanborn, getting put into service today, June 24th.   The west switch on the Cobden siding was also installed this week.  Work will begin Monday the 28th on building the Cobden siding which is expected to be completed by the end of August.

 

 

 

¨       We have had a few equipment problems, most notably two of our production tampers.  This has delayed some surfacing progress on the IC&E.  We expect both tampers to be running by the end of the week.

¨       A large shipment of ties has finally been shipped, and is close to our property, alleviating fears that we would not receive our last 30,000 ties.

¨       Ballast continues to be provided for surfacing projects at record paces and the new air operated ballast cars are proving to be extremely helpful for the engineering employees.

¨       We have started assembling the Birmingham Diamonds this week, with assembly expected to be completed by the end of next week and installation still scheduled during the week of July 12th.

¨       Sanborn siding was put into service this morning and progress is being made on Cobden and Elkton.  De Smet siding dirt work is expected to start right after the 4th of July.