South Dakota short line completes main line siding project

Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad officials last week marked the completion of a $5.65 million project to build main line sidings on the regional's line in Aurora and Huron, S.D.

A celebration to open the 17,520 feet of main line sidings was attended by South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, according to a press release from the governor's office.

The sidings were designed to allow for greater carrying capacity and more efficient interchanging with major railroads by permitting trains coming form opposite directions to pass each other, state officials said in the release.

"Dependable rail service is particularly important to our state," Daugaard said. "Because South Dakotans consume only a modest share of the grain we produce, we rely almost entirely on railroads to deliver our grain to out-of-state markets."