By The Gazette Staff
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad announced Monday that it intends to spend $54.4 million in capital improvements across Montana this year. Company spokesman Gus Melonas also said the company plans to hire an additional 106 people to work its Montana operations during 2007. "BNSF presence across Montana is stronger than ever," he said in a telephone interview from his office in Seattle. "We've been moving record volumes of freight." The lion's share of expenditures this year will be for track improvements. The railroad plans to replace tens of thousands of ties during construction season, which begins in March and ends in November.
Local gangs and six regional gangs of 35 to 45 people will work at sites across the state. Another 300 people will be working with high-tech equipment to get the job done, he said. The largest project will be along the Hi-Line, where more than 65,000 new wooden ties will be installed, including 52,000 on track in Valley County west of Glasgow. Other major projects will include replacing 37,000 ties near Wibaux and in Dawson County, 13,000 between Billings and Huntley and 5,516 between Laurel and the Wyoming line. In Glacier National Park, 10,000 concrete ties will be installed and a snow shed will be stabilized. Also included in the budget are track surfacing and work on bridges. "Another key component in meeting increased customer demand is a strong work force," Melonas said. BNSF plans to hire seven mechanical workers, 51 engineering and technical employees, 35 train crew members and 12 signal employees, he said. BNSF capital spending on track this year is down slightly from 2006. Melonas said BNSF budgeted $55.7 million for Montana capital projects last year.
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