Sidings Weekly Update #28

28 October 2004

 

FLORENCE SIDING PUT INTO SERVICE OCTOBER 15!!!!

 

 

As of October 21, we have put all 6 sidings planned for 2004 capital program into service.  The 6th and last siding was put into service Friday, the 15th.  The new sidings and extensions are Tracy, Sanborn, Elkton, De Smet, Cobden and now Florence.

 

1.) The Cobden siding track work is now 100% complete.

¨       The siding was put into “full” service as a 9900’ siding on Thursday the 16th of September.

 

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

 

¨       Chad Roob’s crew has assembled the cross-over switches and we expect to install them within the next couple weeks.

 

3.) The Florence siding was put into service October the 15th, and the BN connection portion of this project is still on schedule to be put into service no later than the end of the month. This siding is nearly 8900’ long!!

·        Siding is 95% completed with only the closure welds left to finish. This welding work is being done by Bledsoe Welding Services and should be completed by the end of the month.

·        The BN connection portion of the Florence project will be completed shortly after the BN completes their track work.  This is expected to be completed by the end of the month also.

 

 4.) The De Smet Siding extension was put into service on the 20th of August and extends the siding more than 3000 feet to the west.

¨        This extension is now 100% completed!!!

 

5.) The Elkton Siding has been extended over 4,000 feet to the east and was put into service on the 28th of July.  This has helped with congestion and will enable the meeting of longer trains.  Total length of Elkton siding is now 8200’.

¨        Extension is 100% completed!!!

 

6.) The Sanborn Siding project involved renewing over ½ the ties in the current siding and elevator tracks and changing the rail as well as adding ballast and surfacing.  This removed restrictions that allowed only empty cars and four-axle locomotives to use these tracks.  The track was put back into service on June 23rd!!

¨        Project is 100% completed!!!