The last week of March, Engineering employees took a deep dive into the diesel shop’s infrastructure.

A new crossing was installed just outside of the No. 1 stall’s east end. Roadmaster Tony Balich said the project’s execution involved extensive surgery on the rails embedded in the concrete. Citing enhanced safety and performance, he and his team elected to tear out the old infrastructure and perform a total rebuild instead of doing a temporary repair.

The job also entailed reconstructing a portion of track, including removing and reinstalling the track pans for locomotive fluids.

“The project came out great,” Balich said. “The team did a really good job adapting to the challenges involved with this atypical work. Hopefully we won’t have to do it again for a really long time.” 

Diesel shop employees agreed that the Engineering team did a great job.

The work was performed by the East Clearing Gang, including Vehicle Operator Francisco Bermudez, Trackman Carlo Hernandez, Machine Operator Daniel Hernandez and Track Foreman Matt Peterson. The other Engineering team members who contributed  include Welders Miguel Arteaga and David Baisa, Welders Helpers Alejandro Herrera and Reynaldo Ramos, and Machine Operator Tim Hedge.