Abo Canyon Project

February TRAINS reports on the progress made to double track/ second main the ROW through Abo Canyon. When this project is complete the BNSF will have not less than two main tracks on its route LA-Chi.

However, it appears that TRAINS "deadline' for material to be included in the Feb issue was somewhere around Halloween. I'm not sure if the full impact of the economic crisis had been measured by then. I'm not sure if it has been measured even today. But it is always projects like this that are first to be curtailed whenever there is a decline in business (hey, business is down; we don't need it at the moment); enquiring mind wants to know if there is any updated status on this project.

The project has been slowed a bit. A friend who is heading up much of the construction told me that the eartwork will probably continue as planned, however, the bridging will be delayed a bit with track and signal delayed a bit more. Basically, they are extending the project and making it last about a year or so longer than originally planned.

One comment should be made. Security in the area is tight. Much of the work is through several private ranches and the construction agreements include requirements that trespassers be prohibited so there is quie a bit of security at the access points.

The "Extreme Trains" episode last night (1/27/09) talked about how Abo Canyon is such a choke point for BNSF but didn't talk about the improvement project. I guess the shooting schedule for that series was ahead of the work?? Anybody have insight on that?

The Abo Canyon project will not eliminate the last single track sections on the Chicago-Los Angeles "Transcon" route. Others remain, such as the Sibley bridge over the Missouri River on the Chicago-Kansas City "Airline," and the Pecos River bridge at Ft. Sumner and the Vaughn, NM overpass over the old SP (Now UP) Golden State route. In all, about 30 miles of single track were estimated to remain as of early next year. I'm hoping that with Buffet holding ownership, they'll quickly get the rest of the route (including the Sibley bridge) up to two main tracks or more. We shall see...

i just heard this Canyon projectis fially done? i just wish i could see it personally i have read a lot of reviews regarding it and i admit, i was really impressed..

I believe you heard wrong, at least according to reports on another board.

I just heard about the double-tracking of Abo Canyon yesterday. Actually, it appeared in a YouTube video.

I am trying to research this topic using Google searches, but I get two different dates for the first train: March 14th , 2011 ,and June 3rd , 2011.

Perhaps the dates are the first train, and the first revenue train?

In mid june of last year,BNSF ran an OCS type train for various public officals and invited general public to hearld
the completetion of the Abo Canyon double tracking project.
The OCS special did load in ABQ and was handed over to BNSF at Belen Jct for the run to Mountainair and back.
After the final cutovers of the orignal main line to the new main trackage, the new mainline sections were put in service
around late may with very little fanfare.