FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway plans to spend $3.96 billion on capital investments in 2023, the railroad announced Thursday — an increase of more than $400 million from its plan in 2022.
“Our capital plan reflects our growth mindset and commitment to having the capacity and equipment we need to support our customers,” Katie Farmer, BNSF President and CEO, said in a press release. “Continued investment in our network through our capital plans helps ensure we run a safe, efficient and growing railroad that provides customers with the service they expect from BNSF.”
The largest component of this year’s capital plan, $2.85 billion, is devoted to maintaining BNSF’s core network and related assets. Maintenance projects include replacing and upgrading rail, track infrastructure including ballast and ties, and maintaining rolling stock. Nearly 14,000 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work is planned, along with replacement of 346 miles of rail and approximately 2.8 million ties. $402 million of this year’s plan is for equipment acquisitions.
Over $700 million of the 2023 plan will be for expansion and efficiency projects. On its former Santa Fe Southern Transcon route between Chicago, Kansas City, and the West Coast, BNSF will begin construction of a second bridge over the Missouri River at Sibley, Mo. This will complete double track on one of the last segments of single track along the route. The plan will continue projects that add several segments of new track in Eastern Kansas and Southern California. Also starting this year will be an multi-year terminal and fueling project on the Southern Transcon at the busy Belen, N.M. terminal. BNSF will also complete a second main track expansion in Fort Worth.
In Washington state, BNSF will begin a multi-year project to add double track near Spokane including over the Spokane River and by constructing a siding near Pasco. BNSF will continue multi-year intermodal facility expansion projects in Chicago (Cicero) and Stockton, Calif. Also in California, BNSF will continue its track improvement projects in San Bernardino, along with property acquisitions in the Barstow area, enabling development for the Barstow International Gateway Project.
I know that the days of Additions and Betterments accounting are long gone. but to identify ‘ordinary maintenance’ [replacement of ties and rail, and surfacing] as Capital expenditures seems disingenuous.
I rode over the Sibley bridge 6 time in the early 60’s and the slow down necessary to negotiate the bridge was very noticeable. Hopefully the new double track bridge will not require such a noticeable speed reduction. Nevertheless a double track is vastly superior to one track.
James Uttley
There adhering the old addage: you have to spend money to make money.
Yes, but the scary part is they are slowly building the Super Railroad for the 21st Century. The Chicago to LA freight main line is already 99 percent double track. The bridge at Sibley is an enormous investment in removing one of the last bottlenecks in the entire system. BNSF is doubling don on the railroad as growth engine for our lifetimes. And remember BNSF’s two largest customers are J.B. Hunt Transport Services and UPS, Inc,