Sidings Weekly Update #9

10 June 2004

 

2004 SIDING WORK MOVING FORWARD

 

 

As of June 10, we have put 1 of the 6 sidings now planned for 2004 into service.

 

1.) The Cobden siding dirt work has been completed for the west 8,000’ for   several weeks and the west switch has now been delivered and is assembled on site and will be installed the week of the 14th with construction of the siding to start after that. We expect a positive result in our wetlands mitigation efforts, which will allow us to build a 10,000’ siding at this location.

 

¨       The west switch will be installed by the New Ulm section crew, under foreman Steve Hesse’s direction, during the week of the 14th.

¨       Tie delivery will be completed by the end of the month and will not affect the construction.

¨       All track material is on site in preparation for the construction to begin. 

¨       Track construction to begin on the 21st of June with tie gang employee Darrin Legare leading the construction process with the aid of boom truck operator Ted Arndt.

 

 

2.) The Tracy siding was put in service on Thursday the 6th of May and continues to perform up to the transportation department’s expectations.

 

¨       We expect to install the crossovers later in July to complete the project, but the new pass is usable without the crossovers being installed.

 

 

3.) The negotiations on the Florence siding continue to move forward and we expect a final agreement very soon.

 

 4.) The De Smet Siding extension was approved in late May.  This project will extend the siding nearly 4000’ westward from the current west switch location.

 

·        Dirt contractor is in the final stages of being selected and we expect that decision to be made by June 15th with construction to begin very shortly after that.  Sub grade work should be completed by late June or very early in July.

·        Switch is ordered and expected to be delivered by late July or early August.

·        Switch installation and track construction are scheduled to begin in August and completed in September.

 

5.) The Elkton Siding will be extended over 4000’ to the east and will help with congestion and will enable the meeting of longer trains.

 

·        Dirt work that started on the 17th  of May is now completed and the location is ready for material distribution and eventual construction.

·        New Switch for east end is ordered and will be delivered by the end of July.

·        Ties have been ordered and loaded in gondolas and will be delivered shortly.

·        Rail and OTM that has been recovered from the Volga/Lake Preston project will be delivered and stored on site ready for the construction.

 

6.) The Sanborn Siding project involves renewing over ˝ the ties in the current siding and changing the rail as well as adding ballast and surfacing.

 

·        Ties will all be delivered by the end of the day today, the 10th of June.

·        Tie contractor L A Colo and sons will install these ties on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th.

·        DM&E forces will replace the 72# rail that the siding now has with 100# rail during the week of June 21st.   

·        Ballasting and surfacing will be completed soon after the rail is installed and we expect this project to be fully completed by early to mid July.