(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 16.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Co., a subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., said Tuesday that it has launched a $17.5 million track maintenance project on its main line.
The work on the line between Bakersfield and Fresno, Calif., will be completed in a four-week period between Jan. 17 and Feb. 20.
Company officials said the work will result in improvements in track reliability, ride quality for passenger trains and track structure.
The project includes improvements to 15 at-grade rail crossings, the installation of 77,150 wood crossties, eight miles of new rail, 100 miles of track resurfacing, and undercutting work on four miles of track, BNSF said.
Shares of Burlington Northern Santa Fe closed up $2.94, or 4 percent, at $76.90 on the New York Stock Exchange.