We haven’t been officially notified but it appears the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad will open the 2023 construction season with a big project in the Superior area.

In mid-February a string of new or recently repainted maintenance of way equipment arrived in Superior. The string of flat cars hauling the track maintenance equipment stretched from near Central Avenue east to near Bloom Street, that was more than three blocks in length.

Additional equipment has been arriving since including what appears to be a mobile office.

Equipment is also parked on a siding at Guide Rock.

A worker unloading the equipment said he didn’t know where the project was but he indicated the project included the replacement of ties and rail.

Superior is officially in the railroad’s Powder River Division which controls the line from Superior west. Thus we have concluded the tie and rail replacement will most likely be west of town. And since previous projects have laid ribbon rail to a point west of Bostwick, we have concluded this project will likely continue replacing rail to the west of Bostwick.

Since the two railroad’s merged, the line between Hastings and Superior has been received nearly annual upgrades. Most of the jointed rail, some sections which dated to the 1880s, has been replaced. When completed it is thought the rail replacement project will allow the faster movement of trains. Prior to the merger with the Santa Fe, it was feared the line would be abandoned.

The track from Superior south, which was formerly part of the Santa Fe system, received the first ribbon rail prior to the merger of the two railroads. Trains operating on that section of track have been allowed to move faster. The section from Superior to Lester Junction (a rail point east of Red Cloud) has been