Tolland Extension Project

Summary Information Railroad Union Pacific Overview The siding of Tolland on the Moffat Tunnel Subdivision will be extended to the east. Purpose Tolland currently cannot support most coal trains as the siding is only 5,650 feet in length, and most coal trains exceed that length. Currently, westbound coal trains must wait at Rollins for eastbounds, increasing the time it takes to move coal trains west. Once Tolland is extended, coal trains can wait there for meets with eastbounds. Plan The east end of Tolland will be extended by at least a 1000 feet to the east, increasing the length of the siding to at least 6,650 feet. Detail Information Timeline To Be Completed In 2007 Major Obstacles 1. Funding / Priority from Omaha. Project Updates 10/8/2007 - The newly-extended Tolland siding is put into service as a nearly 9,000-foot-long siding. It is now the longest siding on the Moffat east of the Moffat Tunnel. An entire coal train can fit on the siding east of the grade crossing. 9/17/2007 - Track work has been completed for the siding extension, save for cutting in the new east end. The track has been tamped and the signals are in place. The signals are not yet hooked up yet though, so the siding is not yet open. 8/18/2007 - Grading for the siding extension has been completed and much of the siding has been laid. One of the new signals has been erected at the east end of Tolland. 8/4/2007 - Ties for the siding have been moved up to Tolland. Grading is nearly completed and the new east switch has been installed. 6/23/2007 - After a few weeks of work, the grading is moving along (albeit slowly). 6/4/2007 - Ground is finally broken on the extension of the siding east toward Rollins. Earth-moving equipment is brought up to start the grading process. 12/19/2005 - Tolland will be extended to the east (towards Rollins). After completion, the siding will be increased from 5,660 feet to at least 6,650 feet. 12/9/2005 - Construction has not yet started. At this point, the exact start date of the project is unknown. 2/12/2005 - Denver Service Unit includes this enhancement in its 5-year "wish list" to Omaha. Start Date 6/4/2007 Completion Date 10/8/2007 Total Duration 126 days Additional Photos Images from the east end of Tolland (which is supposed to be extended east) from 2002. Some earth-moving equipment has been moved into place (as of 6/23/07) a few thousand feet east of the (current) east switch of Tolland. Grading is slowly taking place so the siding can be extended down to this point. As of August 4, 2007, the new east switch of Tolland had been installed, and the cut to the west was quickly receding. The new signal at east Tolland is in place, and a lot of the track for the new siding is installed as of August 18, 2007. The signals are in place, the track has been laid and tamped. Now, on September 22, 2007, UP is just waiting on the signals department to hook the signals up.