ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern is making more than $200 million worth of capacity improvements on its line between Birmingham and Mobile, Ala., to support traffic growth at the Port of Mobile.
The 3-B Corridor improvements, announced today, involve building 21 miles of new track, including passing siding projects and expansion of the yard in Wilton, Ala.
Construction is already under way on some of the projects. The railroad expects all of the projects to be completed between 2025 and 2027, and several customers have expansion projects under way as well.
“Together with our customers, we are anticipating where markets are heading, and positioning to deliver on their supply chain needs now and into the future,” CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement. “These investments will bring immediate returns as they make rail an even more competitive part of our nation’s supply chain and expand our customers’ end-to-end solutions.”
The corridor connects markets in northern and central Alabama with the Port of Mobile, which contributes $85 million to the state’s economy annually, NS said. The route includes the 3-B South and North districts, which run a total of 319 miles from Mobile to Burstall, which is 19.3 miles southeast of Norris Yard on the outskirts of Birmingham. The line carries agricultural products, autos, chemicals, forest products, and steel.
The corridor project involves a mix of terminal and track-based infrastructure improvements, including capacity projects in central and southwest Alabama, customer-specific projects in north Alabama and locations north of Mobile, yard upgrades in Wilton and a series of grade crossing improvements throughout the region.
The project also will allow NS to handle more metallurgical coal from Warrior Met Coal, which is building a new Blue Creek mine that is scheduled to begin shipping steelmaking coal to the Port of Mobile in 2025.
Packaging Corporation of America, meanwhile, recently expanded its paper mill in Jackson, Ala., partnering with NS on the project to enhance efficiencies for both companies.
“Without Norfolk Southern’s investment in the region, we would not have been able to maximize the opportunity to ship more volume via rail,” said Ross Corthell, PCA’s vice president of transportation. “The projects Norfolk Southern is planning and doing in the region are great examples of how their long-term strategy to invest in infrastructure, operate safely and efficiently, and market their service, is designed to promote growth.”
Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the state is “grateful to Norfolk Southern for these investments in our state and for their support of our existing industries.”
The capacity projects are an example of the railroad’s efforts to partner with customers, NS Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins says.
“This means being deeply engaged from the beginning, working with customers to identify business needs and help develop solutions, staying engaged throughout the development process, and finally executing on the safe, reliable, efficient transport of their cargo,” he says. “Our comprehensive approach is all about being there for our customers’ needs today and being ready to handle the next phase of their business tomorrow.”
