System-Wide Weekly Update #29

4 November 2004

 

         

          This past week has been one where the engineering forces on both properties have mainly been doing final ballast unloading and surfacing in preparation for this production season ending.

          The eleven surfacing crews on the two properties have surfaced nearly 760 pass miles this year already and other engineering forces have unloaded nearly 250,000 tons of ballast this year.  These crews will continue to surface until freeze up and we expect well over 800 miles of surfacing to be completed by year’s end.

          Elsewhere on the properties the LA Colo tie crew started installing 10,000 ties on track 1 of the double track between Moseby Jct. and Birmingham on the Kansas City sub and Supervisor Tom Goffinet says this project will be done late next week.

          Steve Koser’s curve rail crew has been making excellent progress replacing worn rail in curves with new premium, head hardened continuous welded rail, which will give us longer and better service.  The curve replacement project will last through the second week of December.

          Wes Risseeuw’s DM&E tie crew began installing about 6,000 ties on the PRC sub in the Midland area late last week and expects to have this project completed by the Thanksgiving holiday.  Jim Nemec’s tie crew will be finishing up their last tie project over the next couple weeks.  This project   involves installing about 2,000 ties in the Wasta area.

          Rick Hanson, Track Supervisor at Rapid City, has been supervising the installation of 4 new switches, removal of 6 old switches and the rebuild of several hundred feet of track at Colony.  This project is nearly 75% complete.

          The Florence siding and connection is getting the final surfacing done today and will be completely ready for use by Friday the 5th.  This connection with the BN Rail Road will provide new and improved service opportunities to customers on both systems.

         

           

¨       Equipment problems have been very minor and have not been delaying any of the projects.

¨       All track ties have been received on both properties and have been unloaded at the needed sites.  Ties will soon start being delivered for the 2005 programs

¨       The E-80 bridge crews currently have three crew working on bridges on the Tracy, Huron and PRC subs

¨       LG Everist and New Ulm Quartzite Quarry have done an excellent job supplying this years ballast