Railroad News

Norfolk Southern Corp. announced yesterday that Marque Ledoux will become vice president of government affairs on Jan. 1, 2019. He will succeed Bruno Maestri, who is retiring from the Class I.

Ledoux joined NS in 2003 as assistant VP of government affairs. Prior to joining the company, he worked for FedEx for 16 years in public relations and government relations positions. In his new role, he will continue to be based in Washington, D.C., and report to John Sheib, executive VP of law and administration.

Details of Norfolk Southern Corp.'s potential relocation of its headquarters from Norfolk, Virginia, to Atlanta emerged in documents released yesterday by Invest Atlanta, the city's economic development agency.

NS is proposing construction of a new headquarters in Midtown Atlanta that would feature 750,000 square feet of office space and a daycare center for employees' children, according to the documents.

Norfolk Southern Corp. has tapped Michael Farrell to serve as senior vice president of transportation.

Based in Atlanta, Farrell will report to Michael Wheeler, executive VP and chief operating officer. Farrell's duties will include all transportation operations, division mechanical and rail terminal management functions, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. this morning announced record third-quarter financial results, including operating net income of $1 billion — a 14 percent increase compared with the same period a year ago.

While announcing Q3 results, NS officials also shared plans to implement aspects of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) as part of a new operating plan, the details of which will be unveiled at the Class I's investor day event to be held in Atlanta in February 2019.

A video from Norfolk Southern Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires to NS employees last week strongly indicated NS could move its headquarters from Norfolk, Virginia, to Atlanta.

Squires' video message, which was not posted publicly on the NS website, was reported by The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk's daily newspaper.

Norfolk Southern Foundation will donate $100,000 toward Hurricane Florence recovery efforts in North Carolina.

The foundation will direct $50,000 to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina relief efforts.

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A Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailed yesterday near Station Square in Pittsburgh, sending rail cars down a hill and onto light-rail tracks operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

No one was injured in the incident, according to an NS statement. Light-rail riders experienced delays today heading to and from downtown Pittsburgh, as crews continued to clean up damage and debris from the derailment, authority officials said in a website post.

Norfolk Southern Corp. is deploying 3D simulation-based training apps built in partnership with application developer Heartwood 3D.

The apps are part of the Class I's efforts to "reimagine an even safer, more effective employee-training program," NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. today reported second-quarter results that included records for operating income, operating ratio, net income and earnings.

Second quarter net income rose 43 percent to $710 million, or $2.50 per share, compared with $497 million, or $1.71 per share a year ago. The company attributed the net income growth to an 18 percent increase in income from railway operations and a lower effective income tax rate.

Norfolk Southern Corp. has named Vanessa Allen Sutherland vice president law.

Prior to joining NS, Sutherland served as chief executive officer and chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in Washington, D.C.

Norfolk Southern Railway is the latest railroad company to announce its membership in the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).

Joining BiTA will help NS "identify opportunities where blockchain can be used to improve the transportation supply chain for our customers," said Fred Ehlers, NS' vice president information technology and chief information officer, in a press release.
 
A consortium of more than 250 transportation and logistics companies, BiTA seeks to cultivate a set of industry benchmarks, educate the market, and advance blockchain technology and its transportation and logistics applications within the supply chain.

Norfolk Southern Railway, New York state and local officials yesterday dedicated the new steel arch railroad bridge that spans the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park in Castile.

Built under a public-private partnership, the $75 million bridge expands freight-rail capacity and economic opportunities for businesses and communities across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. is meeting key financial targets, improving operating efficiencies and advancing sustainable growth, Chief Executive Officer and President James Squires told shareholders attending the company's annual meeting held yesterday.

In 2017, the company delivered record results in several key financial measures, including all-time best earnings per share and operating ratio. Additionally, NS achieved productivity savings of $150 million, which were driven by efficiencies that included record locomotive fuel economy, said Squires, according to an NS press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway yesterday announced it has partnered with startup accelerator Plug and Play to help drive innovations in freight-rail transportation.

NS joined Plug and Play's Supply Chain & Logistics Innovation Platform to work with startup companies that are focused on creating applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, the industrial internet of things (IoT) and advanced analytics in supply chains.
 
"As we continually look for technology solutions to improve safety, better serve our customers and improve railroad operations, this partnership will give us greater access to technology startup companies and the broader Silicon Valley ecosystem," said Fred Ehlers, vice president information technology and chief information officer, in a press release.

The American Chemistry Council yesterday honored Norfolk Southern Railway with the Responsible Care® Partner of the Year Award for the Class I's exemplary performance and safety record in transporting chemicals.

NS was one of the three companies and the only freight railroad to receive the council's premier partner award. The award goes to high-performing companies involved in the distribution, transportation, storage, use, treatment, disposal, and sales and marketing of chemicals vital to American businesses and households, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. this morning announced its first-quarter financial results, which include four records.

The Class I set new Q1 highs or lows for: earnings per share at $1.93, up 30 percent year over year; net income at $552 million, up 27 percent; income from operations at $835 million, up 10 percent; and the operating ratio at 69.3, down 1.3 points. A lower effective income tax rate helped boost net income, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway has awarded its 2017 Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award to 52 chemical customers for safely handling rail-shipped products.

Last year, the honorees shipped 153,213 carloads of chemical products regulated as hazardous material on NS rail lines without incident, company officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway's safety train will visit 23 cities this year as part of its Operation Awareness and Response program, which provides first responders with free training on how to safely respond to a potential rail incident.

The train kicked off this year's schedule earlier this week with three days of training at NS' rail yard in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, according to an NS press release.