Summer 2025 Rail Upgrades: NPR’s Commitment to Safety and Performance
Those of our readers who live and work in our northern climates know very well that winter conditions turn to summer very quickly as late April dawns. It’s at that point that the work of the unsung heroes of the railway – our rail maintenance of way and engineering groups – shift their focus from snow and ice to the many fair-weather tasks at hand.
At NPR, we have been fortunate to have little in the way of flooding or water management in the Red River Valley or the escarpment regions this year. Our partner and neighbouring short line on the Canadian side of the border, the Boundary Trail Railway, has reported similar favourable conditions, vs. the heavy rains and flooding that impacted operations last spring.
According to Adam Liden, NPR Roadmaster, summer 2025 ramped up quickly for maintenance of way forces. “The frost was not fully out of the ground and we started our maintenance plan by first completing 35 miles of walking inspections on our 8004 rail territory,” remarked Adam. By the time this issue of the Railroader is printed, NPR maintenance crews will have walked another 60 miles of track. “With our older light rail, it’s been extremely helpful to visually inspect our joint bars for failures – and we have not only changed a significant amount of bars, but have re-laid over 100 sticks of heavier rail to generate 33’ 80-pound maintenance rail together with the associated bars.” No question, this is good risk management, and short line railroading defined!
In addition, NPR plans six crossing upgrades this work season on its Miller Subdivision from Forest River to Honeyford, the surfacing of four track miles, and rail defect replacements generated by the internal track inspection operated annually over a large portion of the network. Routine tie replacements, turnout repairs, and the annual improvements to drainage round out an investment plan that will keep forces busy into the late fall. In 2026, we plan continued rail replacement on the Devils Lake East Subdivision, where we will have inventory in place.
“We are challenging ourselves to work smart, focus on our priorities, and Keep M of W Safe, as we say!” remarked Adam as he leads his team in keeping NPR’s trains safely rolling and our shippers pleased, and reinvesting in our plant.
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