Bridges Monthly Update #4

13 July 2005

BRIDGE 1506 IN FORT PIERRE NEARING COMPLETION!! OTHER BRIDGE PROJECTS PROGRESSING WELL!!

Bridge improvements on both properties are still being advanced. Last year’s accomplishments were considerable, and this year’s are also above average. The overall goal is to continue to strengthen bridges to allow for 286,000 loading from Pierre to Owatonna on the DM&E and from Owatonna to Marquette on the IC&E. The IC&E bridges on the remaining Marquette Sub, River Sub, Chicago Sub and Kansas City Subs already have this capability.

Of the 10 major bridges scheduled to be repaired this year, we have completed one of them and one other will be completed very soon. All of the remaining bridges are currently works-in-progress. All bridgework is scheduled to be completed by October 31, 2005. It appears we will meet that schedule. By far, the largest and most complicated bridge project is the Fort Pierre, South Dakota bridge, #1506, on the DM&E’s PRC sub, which is being completely rebuilt to 315,000 pound standards.

· The 1506 bridge in Fort Pierre is well ahead of schedule and now is expected to be completed by the end of July.

· Bridge 464.5 at Sleepy Eye was completed late last month

· Jamie Stark’s New Ulm crew has been working on several bridges in the Revere CWR territory to complete their upgrade.

· Jay Harris’ and Ken Luensman’s crews have just completed redecking a large section of the Truman drawbridge in Kansas City.

· The crews from Rapid City and Pierre under foremen Evans and Johnson have been strengthening bridges on the PRC as well as assisting with the 1506 project.