FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Fort Worth-based BNSF railroad plans to spend $4.3 billion this year on track maintenance and upgrades along with major equipment purchases.
The railroad’s spending across 28 western states will be significant, but it will be less than the $5.8 billion it spent last year when it was rebounding from significant delays in the northern Great Plains during the winter of 2013-2014.
Given that demand has softened in several sectors, BNSF doesn’t plan to spend as much this year on expanding the capacity of its rail network.
BNSF CEO Carl Ice says the most of the money in the spending plan will go toward maintenance projects, but about $500 million is earmarked for expansion projects.
BNSF is owned by Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc.