FORT WORTH, TX: BNSF has announced details of its US$6 billion capital expenditure this year – the largest in the company's history.

The investments include US$2.9 billion to replace and maintain core network and related assets, nearly US$1.5 billion on expansion and efficiency projects, US$200 million for advanced train control technology and US$1.4 billion for locomotives, freight cars and other equipment.

The company will invest $1.5 billion across eight states in its north region - a corridor from Illinois to Washington used to move agriculture and coal to export facilities in the Pacific Northwest, petroleum products destined for refinery facilities and consumer products shipped to and from marine ports. The region is also a destination point for materials that support the production of crude oil in the Bakken shale formation.

In BNSF's south region, the railroad will spend US$800 million in nine states that includes the company's high-speed transcontinental route - more than 2,000 miles of double track that allows customers to move freight from West Coast marine ports to interchange facilities in Chicago as well as major rail terminals in Kansas City, Fort Worth, Denver and St. Louis.

In its central region, primarily used for the movement of coal, BNSF will invest approximately US$650 million across six states for engineering maintenance and line expansion projects.

"Building on the 2014 capacity increases, we will continue investing in our railroad to make us ever more capable of getting agriculture, energy supplies and a wide range of consumer and industrial products where they want to go," said Carl Ice, BNSF president and chief executive officer. "At BNSF, we believe strongly in working with our customers to help them supply the world with food, energy and products that grow and build our economy. These unprecedented capital investments demonstrate to our customers how deeply committed we are to building a prosperous future for all of us."