OREANDA-NEWS. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated USD 240 million on maintenance and rail capacity expansion projects in Texas this year.

BNSF's 2013 capacity improvement projects in Texas include expansion of rail capacity at Tower 55 in Fort Worth, completing replacement of the Galveston Causeway Bridge, installation of a siding extension near Somerville, expansion of the Houston Intermodal Facility, construction of a loop track facility in San Antonio and significant signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

BNSF will also continue its robust track maintenance program in Texas, which will include nearly 4,400 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, and the replacement of about 115 miles of rail and 690,000 ties.

The planned capital investments in Texas 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 Texas. 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.