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4/1/2026
BNSF Railway's $3.6 billion capital investment plan for 2026 includes a major improvement project underway in Galesburg, Illinois — a location that has been central to BNSF operations since the 1850s.
To increase efficiency and support long-term growth, BNSF is adding a second hump lead track at Galesburg to increase switching capacity and improve overall terminal performance, BNSF officials said in a "Rail Talk" post.
Located 200 miles southwest of Chicago, Galesburg is the second-largest hump yard on BNSF's system; it is essential for sorting and classifying rail cars, they said. Galesburg’s location and yard capacity makes it one of the Class I's most important merchandise terminals.
Currently, Galesburg’s hump is served by a single lead track. After an inbound train arrives into a receiving track, the cars are pulled to the hump lead to then be pushed over the hump to be sorted based on next destination. The area is being graded and is expected to be ready for track installation in May.
Once completed, the upgraded yard will be able to process about three more trains per day, or about 300 cars. The added capacity will improve terminal fluidity and contribute to more consistent merchandise service across the network, BNSF officials said.
To learn more about BNSF's Galesburg operation, click here.