FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF will increase capital spending to $3.55 billion in 2022, after a spend of $2.97 billion in 2021, the railroad reported in its fourth-quarter financial summary.
Of that $3.55 billion, $2.71 billion is budgeted for maintenance and replacement, including 14,000 miles of track surfacing or undercutting; replacement of 381 miles of rail; and replacement of approximately 2.7 million crossties.
Another $580 million will be for capacity expansion work, including the continuing double-track project on the Southern Transcon in Kansas, and a new triple-track project in California; an ongoing bridge project to address a bottleneck near Sandpoint, Idaho; and intermodal facility projects at Cicero, Ill; Alliance, Texas; and San Bernardino, Calif. An additional $259 million is designated for acquisition of freight cars and other equipment.
So when is Buffet/BNSF going to spend some real money and make an offer on CSX and or NS??? Berkshire has a pile of cash, BNSF been nothing but an ATM for Buffet/Berkshire since they bought it and some real efficiencies in terminals and true transcontinental market are to be had for the taking. Yes, understand that STB doesn’t want it but you never get what you want without first trying.
My take is easy. If they want to compete and have the cash, make the eastward commitment themselves. Who says you *have* to buy out another railroad to get access? Yep it will take billions, but you get to make billions too and don’t have to share it with another east of Chicago road.
Modern railroading is about express, bulk and containers. OK, so build a line that has as few impediments as possible, straight east. We are talking about the next 100 years, not the next fiscal on Wall Street here.
which triple track project in california ?
I think it is in and around Barstow area where transcon/port of LA traffic merges with Northern Cali traffic
Great to see a railroad spending serious money on capacity improvements!
No Wall Street to please. Just Warren Buffett.
What happened to the double track project Ft Worth to Cleburne?