OREANDA-NEWS. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated USD 145 million on maintenance and rail capacity expansion projects in Illinois this year.

BNSF will replace two bridges in Princeton and Wyanet, and construct a new siding 7,600 feet long between Barstow and Hillsdale. Three departure tracks at the Galesburg Yard will be extended to a length of 10,000 feet each, and track and parking will be added to BNSF's Logistics Park Chicago and Corwith Intermodal facilities in the Chicago area.

BNSF will also continue its robust maintenance program in Illinois, which will include about 2,700 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, and the replacement of 90 miles of rail and more than 150,000 railroad ties, as well as signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

The planned capital investments in Illinois 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 Illinois. 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.