Former Chair of CN's Board of Directors Robert L. Pace

Class I Briefs: CN, NS

CN renames its Rockingham Yard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to honor former Chair of the Board of Directors Robert L. Pace. Also, Norfolk Southern (NS) lays out its East Taggart Street reopening plan.

NS on Sept. 21 reported via LinkedIn: “We are excited to break ground on our new regional safety training center in East Palestine today! This facility will provide ongoing, free specialized training for first responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the greater region.” Pictured here from L to R: State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, NS President and CEO Alan H. Shaw, East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick, State Sen. Mike Rulli, and NS VP of Safety John Fleps.

NS Breaks Ground on Regional Safety Training Center in Ohio

Work on Norfolk Southern’s (NS) new regional first-responder training center in East Palestine, Ohio, got under way Sept. 21 with a groundbreaking event attended by railroad and local officials as well as

NS Bid to Acquire CSR Still Faces Legislative Hurdle (UPDATED Sept. 21)

Norfolk Southern is looking to purchase the 338-mile Class II Cincinnati Southern Railway (CSR), which it and its predecessor railroads have been operating under a 141-year-old lease agreement with its owner, the

Commentary

TD Cowen: Still Searching for Positives in Near-Term

At TD Cowen, we are lowering our rail estimates ahead of third-quarter earnings reports to reflect a very challenged environment. Leaders in the rail and logistics market who attended our latest Railroad Happy Hour” called the current outlook “bleak,” with growing uncertainty in 2025.

“When a rail incident occurs, seconds count,” NS Vice President Safety John Fleps said. “Through our partnership with RapidSOS, 911 call centers and first responder agencies throughout our 22-state network will have faster access to the information they need to safeguard their response, save lives and protect the communities in which we operate.” (NS Photograph)

NS, RapidSOS Team on First Responder Initiative

Norfolk Southern (NS) on Sept. 20 reported partnering with RapidSOS to help “make it quicker and easier” for first responders to access cargo and hazardous materials information and enable the ability to call for mutual aid, all while providing ongoing training.

South Carolina Ports Authority’s rail-served inland ports continue to see strong volumes, serving as key connections between inland markets and the Port of Charleston.(Photo/SCPA/English Purcell)

Intermodal Briefs: SC Ports, IANA

South Carolina Ports Authority’s (SC Ports) rail-served Inland Port Greer handles record cargo in August. Also, the University of North Texas (UNT) notches another win in the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) case study competition.

Pictured: Norfolk Southern’s Floyd Hudson, Vice President Field Engagement (left) and Joe Gioe, Vice President Transportation.

NS Promotes Hudson, Gioe

Norfolk Southern (NS) has elevated Floyd Hudson to the newly created position of Vice President Field Engagement. Succeeding him as Vice President Transportation is Joe Gioe, the Class I railroad told Railway Age on Sept. 20.

Chemicals Marketing Group doing an in-class session on “Safety Fundamentals” of railroad operations.
Commentary

A Focus on Safety: From the Ballast Line to Our Customers

Every day, Norfolk Southern railroaders evaluate and make decisions with a focus on becoming a safer, more reliable, and more efficient operation. Whether we are out on the track, at one of our facilities across our 22-state network, or visiting a customer’s operation, safety is always first.

Beaver County, PA Emergency Communications Center. (Photograph Courtesy of AAR)

AAR, NS Boost AskRail Access

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) on Sept. 18 reported working with member company Norfolk Southern (NS) to integrate AskRail into the dispatching services of the Columbiana County, Ohio, and Beaver County,

NS Announces VAP for East Palestine Area Homeowners

Norfolk Southern (NS) on Sept. 18 announced an interim Value Assurance Program (VAP) to “compensate any reduction in value of eligible residential properties located in East Palestine, Ohio, and some surrounding communities following the February derailment.”

LOAD MORE