(The following story by John R. Pulliam appeared on The Register-Mail website on December 20.)
GALESBURG, Ill. — What a BNSF Railway official is calling “a short-term postponement” has caused most work to stop on the $37 million expansion of the diesel repair facility here. The foundation of the facility will be partially completed before work is completely halted.
“No additional work will be done until traffic levels increase to a point where completion of the project is warranted,” said BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg. He said the expansion will eventually resume.
“It’s just undetermined at this time when construction work would be completed,” he said.
Greg Mangieri, executive director of the Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association, said he has been in touch with the railroad. He said railroads and other parts of the transportation industry are feeling the effects of a weak dollar, which has hurt the international trade market, as well as a soft demand for building products, as problems in the mortgage industry have slowed home building.
“They’re not abandoning their plans,” Mangieri said.
The expansion is expected to create 50 new jobs.