Sidings Weekly Update #30

11 November 2004

FLORENCE SIDING AND CONNECTION WITH BN TO BE PUT INTO FULL SERVICE BY END OF THE WEEK!!!!

As of November 11^th we have put all 6 sidings planned for 2004 capital program into service. 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 9,900’ siding on Thursday the 16^th of September.

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

¨ Chad Roob’s crew is installing the crossover switches this week. This will enable crews to switch the “dc” yard without blocking the pass. When the cross over project is completed, the Tracy project will be 100% completed.

3.) The Florence siding was put into service Friday, October 15^th and the BN connection portion of this project is still on schedule to be put into service no later than the end of November. This siding is nearly 8,900’ 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 today the 11^th and will be open for interchange traffic after that.

4.) The De Smet Siding extension was put into service on the 20^th of August and extends the siding more than 3,000 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 28^th of July. This has helped with congestion and will enable the meeting of longer trains. Total length of Elkton siding is now 8,200’.

¨ 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 23^rd!!

¨ Project is 100% completed!!!