MINNEAPOLIS — BNSF Railway plans to triple the amount of money it spends on railroad improvements in Minnesota this year. 

The railroad said it will spend $326 million to improve train speed and make its service flow better across the state. Last year, the railroad focused on oil train traffic in North Dakota where it spent $400 million.

BNSF spokeswoman Amy McBeth said this year the focus is on Minnesota which faced challenges last year. Service took a hit when record shipments of iron ore, coal, grain and crude oil combined with relentless snowstorms and the polar vortex.

McBeth said the company will spend $6 billion overall this year to improve the 32,500 miles of track it runs in 28 states and three Canadian provinces.