(The Amarillo Globe-News posted the following story by Greg Rohloff on its website on July 18.)
AMARILLO, Texas — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway has completed work on a 13.5-mile section of double track near Miami, part of an expansion to accommodate growth in intermodal traffic.
Railroad spokesman Joe Faust said the expansion is needed because of a 13 percent growth over the past year in intermodal traffic, the movement of trailers between shipyards and trucking terminals.
The railroad said 55 intermodal trains operate each day over this portion of the line between Los Angeles and Chicago, with the number rising to 70 a day during peak times.
BNSF attributed a 35 percent growth in international business over the past year as a reason for the increase in traffic.
The addition of a second track will continue eastward, with another 32 miles scheduled to open in mid-November.
A third 14-mile section near Woodward, Okla., will be completed next year.
Also, Burlington Northern Santa Fe said work on the expansion of the Clovis railyard is on schedule. The $15 million project will add six receiving and departure tracks.
When completed, the railroad expects to add about 80 jobs with $6 million in payroll.
The three new tracks on the east end of the yard are expected to open by the end of July, the railroad said, and three tracks on the west end will open in about six weeks.