BNSF Completes Major Upgrades at Tulsa Yard in Record Time

BNSF completed essential reliability upgrades at its Tulsa, Oklahoma, hump yard in early April, finishing the project within a tight timeframe. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The company shut down the yard for 48 hours starting on March 25, resuming operations on March 27.

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During this period, BNSF rerouted rail cars to other yards to ensure minimal disruption to freight traffic flow. The upgrades were essential for improving efficiency at the Tulsa yard, one of the busiest in the region.

BNSF’s Strategic Planning for the Tulsa Yard Upgrade

Originally, BNSF planned to stagger the upgrades to limit disruptions. However, after further analysis, the team determined that a full 48-hour shutdown would be more effective. By doing so, they completed all work within a condensed 168-hour schedule.

After the initial 48-hour period, BNSF reopened several tracks to process rail cars. Crews then progressively completed work on the remaining tracks, finishing the project ahead of schedule.

BNSF’s Team and the Scope of the Tulsa Yard Upgrades

The BNSF team worked around the clock, completing critical tasks to enhance the yard’s infrastructure. They installed a new approach scale, replaced the retarder and its foundation on Group 2 tracks, and adapted the master retarder foundation.

Additionally, BNSF replaced the master retarder, installed nine NX power switches, and added skate retarders to safely stop rail cars. They also laid 10,000 feet of new track and resurfaced 5,000 feet.

Despite a few challenges, BNSF’s efforts led to a successful and timely completion of the project. The upgraded yard is now fully operational, enhancing the efficiency of the company’s freight operations.

Source: www.progressiverailroading.com

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