11,000 tons of Pueblo steel will make tracks fit for Southwest Chief

About 11,000 tons of steel produced in Pueblo by Evraz North America will help upgrade tracks used by Amtrak's Southwest Chief passenger train as it travels across Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.

The steel will be used on about 47 miles of the 158-mile stretch between Pierceville, Kansas, and Las Animas, upgrading the track to permit Amtrak speeds of up to 79 mph. The project will also improve conditions for freight trains and upgrade crossings.

The project is funded by at $12.5 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant and another $9.3 million in state, local and private money that was gathered after BNSF Railway said it was unwilling to foot the whole bill for track improvements. Without track improvements, the passenger rail service was at risk.

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