BNSF Railway Company has begun undercutting (the removal, repairing and replacement of ballast) and repairing roadbed beneath a 29-mile stretch of track between Galesburg and Wilbern, IL. A second BNSF crew will replace more than 70,000 railroad ties along the same route. This maintenance project will cost approximately $15 million and last about four months.

"Galesburg is an important hub for our West Coast and Chicago traffic," said Dave Freeman, BNSF vice president, Engineering. "Expanding and maintaining our infrastructure in the Galesburg area and throughout the system not only allows us to provide customers with efficient and reliable rail service but it also benefits the overall efficiency of America's supply chain."

Approximately 65 BNSF employees will work on BNSF's Chillicothe Subdivision until early August to complete this project.

BNSF expects to spend about $2 billion this year to keep the railway's infrastructure strong by refreshing track, signal systems, structures, freight cars, and upgrading technologies.