BNSF to close the West Burlington, Iowa shops, once the main facility of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. This is where the big O5 4-8-4s were assembled.

By Emily Engberg, WGEM News
WGEM-TV


USA - West Burlington, IA -- The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Shops will close its doors by the end of the year. Around forty employees at the West Burlington Shops have been offered jobs at the railroad's Galesburg location.

BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg tells WGEM's Southeast Iowa Reporter Emily Engberg the rail industry is moving a record number of locomotives and the employees at the West Burlington shops can be put to better use in Galesburg.

Forsberg says negotiation agreements have to be approved with local union leaders before the move takes place. Two-hundred and fifty-eight people at the shops lost their jobs in January of 2003.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6186293/<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6186293/>

There was some talk earlier in the year of the city of W. Burlington suing BNSF over the closing because of the fact I think of W. Burlington giving the land to the old Q in exchange for them having a facility there in perpetuality. Don't know how that went..............................Wooly