OREANDA-NEWS. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated USD 125 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement and expansion projects in Washington this year.

BNSF's 2013 capacity enhancement projects in Washington include construction of two receiving and departure tracks nearly 7,000 feet long at BNSF's Delta yard in Everett, expanding BNSF's automotive distribution facility at Orillia to support growth in new automobile traffic, as well as signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

BNSF will also continue a significant track maintenance program in Washington, which will include nearly 2,800 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of about 175 miles of rail and 110,000 railroad ties.

The planned capital investments in Washington 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 \\$1 billion on locomotive, freight car and other equipment acquisitions, many of which will serve Washington. 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 \\$42 billion to improve and expand its freight rail network.