NS: $1B Infrastructure Improvements in 2023
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
A Norfolk Southern dual-rail gang works through miles of track that pass through a rocky crevice in DePauw, Indiana. NS photo.
Norfolk Southern—like much of the industry, battling a misinformation campaign by rail union leadership aided and abetted by the U.S. Transportation Secretary and Federal Railroad Administrator, and reportedly in the gunsights of a hedge fund—completed $1 billion in infrastructure improvement projects in 2023.
The NS Engineering team, led by Vice President Engineering Ed Boyle, made “comprehensive improvements to safety infrastructure, tracks, bridges, and public crossings” throughout the railroad’s 22-state network. This annual investment “supports Norfolk Southern’s commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and resilient service that customers can depend on.”
The railroad’s “robust schedule of infrastructure improvement projects” included:
Safety Infrastructure
- 108 hot box detectors installed.
- 17 acoustic bearing detectors installed.
- 218 CTC to ITCM towers added.
- 2 Digital Train Inspection portals constructed.
Tracks
- 619 track-miles of rail work completed, an 8% increase over 2022.
- 2.1 million replacement cross ties installed.
- 1,745 miles of track surfaced.
- 523 panel turnouts and 14 crossing diamonds installed.
Bridges
- 40 bridges replaced.
- 32,743 bridge ties installed.
- 40,398 bridge, culvert, and tunnel inspections completed.
Public Crossings
- 110 grade crossing warning systems added.
“Our extensive infrastructure work is an important component of being a customer-centric, operations-driven railroad and represents an investment in the safety of our operations,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Duncan. “To safely deliver reliable and resilient service, our rails, bridges, and structures must be maintained to the highest standards, maximizing their productive lifespan.”
“Norfolk Southern’s Engineering team is committed to excellence in everything we do,” said Boyle “Working together as one team, our dedicated railroaders in Maintenance of Way & Structures, Program Maintenance, Communications and Signals, Design and Construction, and Bridges and Structures delivered on-time and on-budget results for our company, customers and communities. We have our sights set on achieving even greater results in 2024, as we continue to prioritize safety and reliability.”
