8th Annual MOW Survey: Regional & Short Lines

2009 MOW Plans (by budget amount)

Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
(Data from 61 u.s. and canadian railroads)

2009 MOW budget: Total annual maintenance capex about $50 million for all of GWI, including holdings in Australia and The Netherlands (details below from U.S./Canada).

Rail: Replace or install 33 miles of CWR; 3 miles of bolted rail.

Sidings: Build two-mile siding in Carbon County, Utah.

Ballast: Install 158,500 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 219,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 596 miles.

Bridge work: Pekin, Ill. ($450,000, August); replace one and rehab three bridges in Butler, Pa. ($500,000, April); rehab four bridges in Houston, Pa. ($900,000, April); replace bridge in Albany, Ore. ($2.2 million, complete in December); numerous smaller rehabs in Southern and Canadian regions; miscellaneous repairs to bridge in Rail Link Region in Virginia ($460,000, January); rebuild bridge in Georgia ($97,000, second quarter); and miscellaneous repairs to bridges in Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee ($96,000, second quarter).

Montana Rail Link

2009 MOW budget: $45 million

2008 MOW budget: $23.5 million

Reason for increase: Price increases and a $17 million tunnel project (see photos at left).

Rail: Replace or install 20 track miles of 136- and 141-pound rail.

Ballast: Install 100,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 110,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 1,200 pass miles; surface 250 miles.

Bridge work: Major rehab of a truss bridge west of Missoula. A two-and-one-half year project that started in fall 2008 (total of $4 million; $2.5 million in 2009).

Alaska Railroad Corp.

2009 MOW budget: $31.7 million

2008 MOW budget: $29.4 million

Reason for increase: Slightly more budgeted due to slightly larger work plan.

Rail: Replace 450,000 linear feet , or about 42 track miles, with CWR.

Sidings: Extend siding at Saulich to 6,350 feet (started in 2008 and complete in 2009); extend siding at Cantwell to 8,600 feet (start and complete in 2009).

Ties: Replace or install 62,200 wood and 4,500 concrete ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 705 pass miles; surface 203 miles.

Ballast: Install 80,000 tons.

Bridge work: Total $6.3 million budget in 2009, with $4.5 million from the FTA and $1.8 million from railroad. Projects include rehab of four bridges; replacement of four bridges; construction of one bridge; and replacement of component parts at three locations.

Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.

2009 MOW budget: $16 million

2008 MOW budget: $12 million

Reason for increase: Need to increase productivity due to increase in traffic volumes and loads on old 90-pound rail. Also, increase of car rail program to four rail trains (instead of two) and the reconstruction of three bridges.

Rail: Replace or install 28 miles with new 115-pound CWR in Madison Sub.

Ballast: Install 35,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 58,000 wood ties.

Bridge work: Replace structure of CrossPlain bridge; replace Whitewater and Monroe bridges ($2.5 million).

New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $10.7 million

2008 MOW budget: $9.9 million

Reason for increase: Federal short-line tax credit projects.

Rail: Replace or install two miles of 132-pound welded rail.

Ballast: Install 40,000 tons.

Ties: Install 36,754 wood ties.

Bridge work: Rehab stringers at Deposit, N.Y., bridge.

New orleans public belt Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $10.5 million

2008 MOW budget: $5.5 million

Reason for increase: Precision execution of operating and capital plans yielded additional potential investment opportunities, which were supported by our commission leadership.

Rail: Replace or install 13.2 miles; 11.2 miles of CWR and two miles of jointed rail.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons, granite.

Ties: Install 12,000 wood; 3,000 steel ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 25 miles.

Bridge work: Ongoing $1 billion Huey P. Long Bridge improvements program (as part of roadway widening), which is funded by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

Iowa Interstate Railroad ltd.

2009 MOW budget: $10.2 million

2008 MOW budget: $11.7 million

Reason for decrease: We will install less CWR compared with 2008.

Rail: Replace or install 7.5 miles with CWR.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 100 miles.

Ballast: Install 65,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 54,600 wood ties.

Bridge work: Various bridge rehabs; start in February and conclude in October ($750,000).

Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co.

2009 MOW budget: $10 million

2008 MOW budget: $24 million

Reason for decrease: Budget constraints.

Rail: Replace or install 7.3 miles with 136-pound rail.

Ballast: Install 23,000 tons (trap rock) and 20,000 tons (track rock).

Ties: Install 15,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 52 miles; surface 89 miles.

Bridge work: Replace 350-foot open-deck, three-track bridge at Blue Island Yard with new steel and deck; build new 107-foot bridge — single-track lead at CP Hill, which will be a connection to the UP Melrose yard.Wheeling & lake erie

Railway Co.

2009 MOW budget: $7 million

2008 MOW budget: $8 million

Reason for decrease: Lower revenue.

Ballast: Install 15,000 tons.

Ties: Install 20,000 ties.

Bridge work: Redeck five bridges; rehab 28 bridge pedestals; rehab two bridge abutments.

The Indiana Rail Road Co.

2009 MOW budget: $6.08 million

2008 MOW budget: $6.71 million

Reason for decrease: In line with the company’s five-year plan.

Rail: Replace or install 141-pound CWR.

Siding: Build 10,000-foot siding in Sullivan, Ind., to increase capacity in anticipation of new unit train moves ($2.55 million, project not included in ‘09 budget numbers).

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 3,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 65 miles; surface 125 miles.

Bridge work: New concrete bridges in Palestine ($1.8 million) and Oblong, Ill. ($950,000).

Evansville Western Railway

2009 MOW budget: $6 million

2008 MOW budget: $5 million

Reason for increase: Install new siding.

Rail: Replace or install 25,000 feet of CWR.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 15,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 28 miles.

Siding: Build 9,000-foot siding in Mount Vernon, Ind.

Bridge work: Rehab 12 bridges (caps, piling and stringers).

Patriot Rail Corp.
(data from five railroads)

2009 MOW budget (total): $5 million

2008 MOW budget (total): $2.1 million

Reason for increase: Mainline tie project; rehab Rocker Yard; Utah Central Railway purchased in 2008; Sacramento Valley Railway started operations as new Patriot Rail operation in March 2008, so full-year 2009 budget vs. 10 months last year.

Rail: Install 7.75 miles; 115-pound jointed rail and other jointed rail.

Sidings: At least two additional 1,000-foot team tracks.

Ballast: Install 2,825 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 17,765 wood and 73 switch ties.

Grinding/surfacing: 10.5 miles; spot surface along 62 miles where needed.

Bridge work: (Louisiana & NW Railroad) Horsehead Creek and Brister, replace caps; South Athens, replace caps, stringers and pile work. (Utah Central) rehab transfer yard bridge in Ogden by replacing 75 deck ties and shins ($35,000, start in June); rehab Evona bridge by replacing 80 deck ties, surfacing, aligning approaches and painting steel truss ($65,000, start in July).

Reading and Northern Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $3.87 million

2008 MOW budget: $4.2 million

Reason for decrease: Will be installing a few thousand less ties this year.

Rail: Install approx. one mile of jointed rail.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Ties: Install 10,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Grind 45 miles; surface 55 miles.

Bridge work: Renew two wooden decks in Jim Thorpe, Pa., area (summer project); various steel work and repairs on various bridges; still working on breaking ground on a new bridge across the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe.

Providence and Worcester Railroad Co.

2009 MOW budget: $3.5 million

2008 MOW budget: $3.5 million

Reason for same: Capital budget remains flat due to current economic conditions.

Rail: Install two miles of 115-pound stick rail.

Sidings: Construct three tracks, about 2,600 feet in total length, in Providence, R.I.

Ballast: Install 15,000 tons.

Ties: Install 15,000 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Total of 20 miles.

Bridge work: Deck renewals as follows: Norwich Bridge, Thompson, (start in June, $45,000); Plainfield, Conn., bridge (start in May, $25,000); Middletown Bridge (start in June, $55,000); Portland RT, Middletown (start in July, $45,000); Main Line, Worcester, Mass. (two tracks, $65,000).

Iowa Northern Railway

2009 MOW budget: $2.1 million

2008 MOW budget: $2.3 million

Rail: Replace or install 3.3 miles with jointed rail.

Sidings: Construct 3.3 miles of yard track in Manly, Iowa.

Ballast: Install 26,000 tons.

Ties: Install 27,000 wood ties.

Bridge work: Repair flood damage to bridge in Waterloo, Iowa.

East Penn Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $1.8 million

2008 MOW budget: $1.4 million

Reason for increase: Availability of PennDOT capital assistance and state/federal grade crossing programs. Of total, $1.3 million comes from state and federal grants under cost-sharing programs.

Rail: Install 1.1 miles of 110-pound and heavier rail.

Siding: 2,600-foot siding in Pocopson, Pa.

Ballast: Install 2,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 3,500 wood and 110 steel ties.

Grinding/surfacing: 5.7 miles.

Bridge work: Rehab Perkiomen Creek bridge on Quakertown Line; repointing and additional masonry work, $65,000.

Copper Basin Railway

2009 MOW budget: $1.6 million

2008 MOW budget: $2.1 million

Reason for decrease: Reduced revenue ($453,109 less); shipper cut backs.

Rail: Replace or install 1.5 miles of 136-pound jointed rail.

Sidings: Build 1,500-foot siding in Ray Junction and 700-foot siding in Florence, Ariz.

Ballast: Install 1,000 tons.

Ties: Install 1,000 ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Surface 30 miles.

Bridge work: Rehab only what’s required at approx. eight bridges (started March 30).

Central California Traction Co.

2009 MOW budget: $1.1 million

2008 MOW budget: $1.2 million

Reason for decrease: New yard tracks at Port of Stockton.

Rail: Install 2.5 miles of CWR at port; install 5,000 feet of 112-pound jointed rail.

Sidings: Construct three new yard tracks and one industry track at port.

Ballast: Install 4,300 tons.

Ties: Install 3,000 hardwood and 280 switch ties.

Grinding/surfacing: 7.5 miles.

Bridge work: Redeck one 80-foot bridge and install three caps on three bents of same bridge, rebuild two concrete head walls; replace three caps and repair head walls on second bridge; add new wood caps to seven steel bents on a third bridge.

Pioneer Railcorp
(16 railroads)

2009 MOW budget: $1.1 million

2008 MOW budget: $650,000

Reason for decrease: Economy concerns and project timing.

Rail: Install two miles of jointed rail.

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 15,000 wood ties.

Bridge work: General timber maintenance in Illinois ($75,000, begin in spring).

Greenville & Western Railway Co. L.L.C.

2009 MOW budget: $800,000

2008 MOW budget: $800,000

Reason for similar budget: Due to a late start on 2008 track upgrades to support a new unit ethanol distribution facility, only about $400,000 of a planned $800,000 was spent in 2008. This year’s budget will likely be about $700,000 to complete work begun in 2008 and around another $100,000 for maintenance.

Ties: Install 1,000 to 1,500 wood ties; limited amount of turnout tie work.

Bridge work: Re-deck two bridges.

Other work: Rebuild nine grade crossings; seek funds to install active warning devices at four crossings.

Madison Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $620,000

2009 MOW budget: $20,000

Reason for increase: Rail replacement, surfacing, tie installation and ballast.

Rail: Install four miles of mainline and one mile of siding rail.

Siding: New one-mile siding in Madison, Ind.

Ties: Install 4,700 ties.

Grinding/surfacing: Four mainline, one siding mile.

Ballast: Install 1,400 tons.

Brownsville & Rio Grande Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $484,200

2008 MOW budget: $480,000

Reason for decrease: Business has slowed down.

Rail: Install one mile of bolted-joint rail.

Ties: Install 1,000 wood ties.

Ballast: Install 100 tons.

Bridge work: Rehab three bridges ($75,000).

Farmrail System

2009 MOW budget: $400,000

2008 MOW budget: $800,000

Reason for decrease: Completion of major projects and concerns with the economy.

Rail: Install 5,000 feet of jointed rail

Ballast: Install 10,000 tons.

Ties: Install 25,000 ties.

Bridge work: Replace stringers on one bridge to obtain 286k; perform various maintenance on 25 timber bridges.

Central Illinois Railroad Co.

2009 MOW budget: $225,000

2008 MOW budget: $210,000

Reason for increase: Anticipated cost increases from contractors and materials.

Rail: Install jointed rail.

Sidings: Build 4,200-foot siding in Peoria and 2,500-foot siding in Chicago.

Ballast: Install 10 tons.

Ties: Install 75 wood ties.

Red River Valley & Western Railroad Co.

2009 MOW budget: $215,000

2008 MOW budget: $1.1 million

Reason for decrease: Project timing.

Rail: Install one mile of jointed and welded rail.

Ballast: Install 31,800 tons.

Ties: Replace or install 19,500 wood ties.

Grinding/surfacing: 11 miles.

Bridge work: Rehab/repair six bridges ($90,000 total).

Twin Cities & Western Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $80,000

2008 MOW budget: $780,000

Reason for decrease: Completed a new 7,400-foot siding and rehabilitated a 5,200-foot siding in 2008.

Rail: Install 840 feet of track.

Ties: Install 19,000 wood and 2,000 industrial grade ties.

Ballast: Install 17,300 tons.

San Pedro & Southwestern Railroad

2009 MOW budget: $5,000

2008 MOW budget: $40,000

Reason for decrease: Completed most major MOW rehab projects.

Rail: Install jointed rail.

Sidings: Build 6,970-foot siding in Benson and 1,780-foot siding in Curtiss, Ariz.

Grinding/surfacing: 9 miles total.

Ties: Install 500 wood ties.

Bridge work: Rehab a couple of bridges,deck ties, $2,000.