THIS MONTH’S TOP NEWS STORIES AND PHOTOS LNG for FEC


A Florida East Coast train crosses the San Sebastian River in St. Augustine, Fla., on February 7. This was the first set of locomotives placed in service last year using a blend of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel. Special fuel tenders were built to carry the LNG and supply both road locomotives. Parent company Fortress Investment Group also owns Fortress Energy, which has contracts to provide LNG from plants in Florida to distant customers, and plans to move LNG by rail. Fortress is promoting LNG for both cost savings and emissions advantages while selling contracts to provide the fueling stations as well as the fuel. PHOTO BY PATRICK YOUGH


BNSF RAILWAY JONATHAN QUINLEY


Positive Train Control Update


BNSF has added several engines to


its Positive Train Control-equipped fleet by adding some odd equipment to the roof of the cab. On some of the engines, such as GP39-3 2678 and GP39-2 2891, the number boards were extended out to make room for the PTC radios and equipment. Currently, BNSF has PTC in service between Galesburg, Ill., and Los Angeles on the Transcon. There are many other places where PTC is in service on BNSF, with over half of the railroad now set up. BNSF is in the process of installing PTC on the Joint Line between Denver and Pueblo, Colo., as well.


Snow Closures in Montana


BNSF suffered a line closure in Montana on February 6 due to heavy snow. The tracks around Glacier Park


6 APRIL 2017 • RAILFAN.COM


were closed, along with U.S. Route 2. At East Glacier, there was more than four feet of snow, and around Kalispell, there was three feet of snow. All the BNSF tracks were closed on February 7 and reopened the next day. There were ten places through Glacier


Park where avalanches had covered the BNSF Hi Line Subdivision. Eastbounds were stopped at Whitefish and west, with westbounds being stopped at Shelby and east. Amtrak No. 7, the Empire Builder, was stopped at Shelby and counterpart No. 8 was stopped at Whitefish waiting on the track to clear.


New Mexico and Texas BNSF has recently resumed operation


Track Take-Backs in


on several pieces of railroad that were leased to shortline operators in New Mexico and Texas. The first was the Southwestern Railway’s former Santa Fe branch that ran south of Clovis, N.M., to Carlsbad. Leased since 2004, BNSF reclaimed this line in January. The Carlsbad Branch extends south of


Clovis to Nash Draw, a distance of 202.7 miles. Beyond Nash Draw is an indus- trial track that extends 5.5 miles. In addition to the Carlsbad Branch, BNSF also operates the Mines Sub that starts at milepost 181 just north of Carlsbad. The line runs east to Intrepid Junction, where two industrial tracks branch off. The Carlsbad Branch is primarily used


for potash and salt coming off the Mines Sub, and for oil and sand movements south of Carlsbad going to Loving. Sand movements also go to Atoka. South of Roswell, BNSF hauls unit grain trains to a feed lot at Dexter. BNSF will originate unit potash trains and unit oil trains on the Carlsbad Branch, and loaded unit sand and grain trains will terminate on the branch. The other take-back is in Texas


and was operated as the Timber Rock Railroad, where BNSF took back the Longview Sub between Silsbee and Longview. BNSF still interchanges with TIBR at Kirbyville, and the short- line has the former Santa Fe line from J&E Junction just north of Kirbyville to DeRidder, La.


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