There’s always work to be done on the railroad. This spring, workers for BNSF Railway are turning their attention to improving tracks, signals, and switches from Vancouver’s Amtrak station to the aging Columbia River railroad bridge.
The improvements won’t add capacity in the busy area, but they’ll make operations safer and smoother, says Gus Melonas, a BNSF spokesman. The first job is to install new tracks and ties in the area, last week through this week. Next will come electronic switches, to be managed from BNSF’s operational hub in Fort Worth, Texas. By summer, all the work should be finished.
All the while, the rail system remains operational. That’s a good thing. BNSF’s Vancouver terminal is the second busiest in the state of Washington, serving 100 customers in the metro area. When there’s work to be done on the railroad, there’s little time for rest.
