OREANDA-NEWS. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated USD 220 million to improve and expand rail capacity in North Dakota this year.

BNSF's 2013 capacity enhancement projects in North Dakota include constructing three new sidings west of Minot near Manitou, Tioga, and Palermo; extending the sidings near Glen Ullin and Hillsboro; improvements to six sidings between Minot and Grand Forks; raising10 miles of track over Devils Lake by 1 to 5 feet to keep the track above rising water; upgrading the line between Berthold and Northgate on the Canadian border; installing Centralized Traffic Control signal systems on three sidings near Devils Lake, Hillsboro and Towner; constructing a new double crossover track east of Williston; and lengthening existing tracks or adding new tracks at BNSF rail yards in Mandan, Minot and Williston.

BNSF will also continue its robust track maintenance program in North Dakota, which will include nearly 1,900 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of about 315 miles of rail and 415,000 ties, as well as significant signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

The planned capital investments in North Dakota are part of BNSF's record 2013 capital commitment of USD 4.3 billion. The largest component of the capital plan is spending USD 2.3 billion on BNSF's core network and related assets. BNSF also plans to spend approximately USD 1 billion on locomotive, freight car and other equipment acquisitions, many of which will serve North Dakota. The program also includes about USD 200 million for positive train control and USD 800 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects.

Unlike other modes of transportation, U.S. freight railroads use their own private dollars, not tax dollars, to build and maintain their freight rail networks. Since the year 2000, BNSF has invested more than USD 42 billion to improve and expand its freight rail network.