FARGO (AP) - With wheat piling up at grain elevators in western North Dakota, officials are becoming worried about space for corn in the east.

BNSF Railway, the state's dominant shipper, is doing its best to move wheat out of state quickly, said Kevin Kaufman, a vice president with the railroad. The average delay in North Dakota is about five or six days, about two days less than a year ago, he said.

The outlook for moving corn quickly once harvest starts in early October is not as bright, Kaufman said. Corn produces about three times as many bushels per acre as wheat or soybeans, and a record corn harvest is expected.

Elevators can pile corn on the ground, as they do with wheat, but that exposes the grain to weather damage.

"It's a concern," said Tom Lilja, executive director of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association.

Wheat is piling up at western North Dakota elevators because there is a large crop and prices are high. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects the state's spring wheat crop at 238 million bushels, up 12 percent from last year.

North Dakota corn production this year is forecast at 275 million bushels, a huge jump from 155 million bushels last year.

There are bound to be delays in transporting corn this fall, but it is too soon to estimate how bad they will be, said Steve Strege, executive vice president of the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association.

North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Tony Clark said potential delays in moving corn are "worrisome."

BNSF has 30,000 grain cars, up from 29,000 a year ago.