BNSF Abo Canyon double track now open for business
Written by jrood
BNSF employees had reason to celebrate Friday, June 3, as the first train traversed the completed double track through the Abo Canyon on the Southwest division. This project addressed one of the last remaining segments of single-line track on BNSF's busy Southern Transcon. The 2.5-year-long project, which included laying five miles of new track, blasting approximately 3.6 million tons of rock and building nine bridges totaling about 3,000 feet in length, was completed ahead of schedule. "The new track, about 25 miles east of Belen, N.M., will help improve velocity through the canyon, eliminate bottlenecks and accommodate rail traffic growth on this section of BNSF's transcontinental line, which connects Los Angeles to Chicago," said Sam Sexhus, vice president of engineering.
