OREANDA-NEWS. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated USD 175 million on maintenance and rail capacity expansion projects in Kansas this year.

BNSF's 2013 capacity expansion projects in Kansas include completing construction of BNSF's Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal facility in Edgerton; construction of a new 10,000-ft. siding and extension of industry track to 3,000 feet near Spring Hill, Kansas; improvements to BNSF's Topeka shops; and significant signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

BNSF will continue its robust maintenance program, which will include about 2,500 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of nearly 100 miles of rail and about 375,000 railroad ties.

The planned capital investments in Kansas 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 Kansas. 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.