US company Union Pacific Railroad has started work on its $27m plan to overhaul the Benton-to-Gorham, Ill line in Omaha, Nebraska.
Under the plan, nearly 43,000 ties, 32 miles of rail and eight switches will be replaced.
The plan includes spreading nearly 20,300t of rock ballast and renewing road surfaces at 62 crossings.
The work is expected to be complete in September 2009.
The renovation is part of the company's $1.7bn investment plan to improve track infrastructure across its more than 32,000-mile system.
