COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Norfolk Southern train that derailed Monday in Columbia struck an already derailed industrial switcher on a track adjacent to its main line, according to NS. The newspaper The State reports it was told by NS spokesman Connor Spielmaker that the locomotive — a yellow end-cab switcher visible in some photos of […]
Railroad: Norfolk Southern
CN posts slight quarterly traffic gain while other big systems see volume declines
Canadian National was the only one of the big six railroads to gain traffic in 2022’s second quarter. CN’s traffic was up 0.4%, essentially flat compared to last year’s second quarter. CSX Transportation was flat, too, but its volume was down 0.1%. Canadian Pacific’s traffic was down 1.5%. Union Pacific’s declined 2% for the quarter, […]
Crew members injured as Norfolk Southern train derails in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two Norfolk Southern crew members were injured when their train derailed Monday morning, according to the Columbia Fire Department. WIS-TV reports the derailment occurred about 8:20 a.m. and involved three locomotives and three cars of a train en route from Atlanta to Charleston, S.C. Photos show a number of container cars involved. […]
Federal regulators to look at CN, NS requests for conditions on CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — As part of their review of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, federal regulators will consider requests for conditions from Canadian National and Norfolk Southern. The Surface Transportation Board on July 1 said that it has accepted the so-called responsive applications from CN and NS. CN has asked the board to force CP […]
Virginia, Norfolk Southern complete agreement allowing passenger service to New River Valley
RICHMOND, Va., and ATLANTA — The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority and Norfolk Southern have completed financing on the agreement which will expand passenger service to Roanoke, Va., and extend service southwest into the New River Valley. The Western Rail Initiative Agreement sets the stage for the launch of a second daily Amtrak round trip between […]
Pennsylvania says it has reached agreement with NS on improvements for Pittsburgh-Harrisburg route
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The state of Pennsylvania says it has reached a deal with Norfolk Southern on a previously announced plan to upgrade infrastructure between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, which would allow a second daily Amtrak train between those cities. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the $200 million deal will be finalized by the end of the […]
Norfolk Southern rolls out new, intermodal-focused operating plan
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has officially launched its TOP|SPG operating plan, which is primarily focused on improving the railroad’s intermodal network. “TOP|SPG works by making our daily operations simpler, more consistent, and executable,” Paul Duncan, vice president of network planning and operations, said in a statement on Monday. Implementing the new plan is an important […]
Georgia community seeks funds for park with railfan, model railroading facilities
COHUTTA, Ga. — The small town of Cohutta, just southeast of Chattanooga, Tenn., is seeking $2 million in funding to develop railroad-themed park to attract tourism. The Daily Citizen of Dalton, Ga., reports the town has applied for grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to turn a 5-acre lot adjacent to a Norfolk […]
Menard’s Cripple Creek General Store on Bob’s Train Box 82
Menards Cripple Creek General Store is in the new product showcase for Bob’s Train Box 82. Then Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller have a show-and-tell about the types of track available for Standard, O, and S gauge hobbyists including tubular, integral roadbed, and scale-like. There are lots of choices if you’re just starting a […]
How Wall Street holds railroads hostage: Analysis
The U.S. Class I railroads’ recurring crew shortages, related bouts of service problems, and a lack of meaningful volume growth are intertwined. You can lay the blame for all three problems at just one place: Wall Street. BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific are in the midst of the mother of all […]
Norfolk Southern to serve new Georgia industrial ‘megasite’
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern will serve a new 1,100-acre economic “megasite” for manufacturing announced Thursday by the state of Georgia and the Development Authority of Peach County. The Middle Georgia Megasite, located near the city of Fort Valley and close to the geographic center of the state, is less than 5 hours by train from […]
Congress raises questions about rail safety and Precision Scheduled Railroading
WASHINGTON – Operational changes related to Precision Scheduled Railroading — including a reliance on longer trains — took center stage at a congressional hearing focused on rail safety. Rail labor leaders and some safety officials were critical of PSR during a House Transportation & Infrastructure subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. But little light, backed up with […]