ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern Chief Operating Officer John Orr has named three veteran officials to lead the railroad’s transportation team.
Tim Livingston, who worked with Orr at Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, joins NS as senior vice president of transportation and network operations. Reporting to Livingston will be Rodney Moore, vice president of transportation for the Northern Region, and Dewayne Swindall, vice president of transportation for the Southern Region.
NS says the new leadership structure will accelerate operational improvements, place leaders closer to field operations, and leverage work by operations consultant Mack Barker.
“In the first half of this year, we have made measurable progress on safety and productivity,” said Orr, who joined NS in March. “I am pleased to bring together Tim, Rodney, and Dewayne as the right leaders to help us maintain meaningful momentum and make our progress sustainable. Their roles are crucial in our journey to be the gold standard of safety and execute our operational plan with excellence while being intentional about fostering a strong culture.”
NS says the trio brings “strong capabilities in implementing balanced, effective [Precision Scheduled Railroading] strategies that deliver improved operating ratio and foster an environment of collaboration.”
Livingston’s railroad career began more than 20 years ago as a conductor on Kansas City Southern. He went on to hold positions of increasing responsibility at KCS, culminating in his post-merger role as vice president of operations for Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
Moore joined NS 20 years ago as a management trainee. He has served in a variety of operational leadership roles, including vice president of network operations. In Moore’s new role, he reports directly to Livingston. He is responsible for the Northern Region, which includes the railroad’s busiest route, the Premier Corridor linking Chicago with Harrisburg, Pa., and New Jersey.
Swindall also reports directly to Livingston. He joined Norfolk Southern in May from The Indiana Rail Road, where he served as president, CEO, and chairman. Swindall began his career 25 years ago as an NS train service employee in Birmingham, Ala. Since then, he has held key leadership roles at Canadian National and Genesee & Wyoming.
In addition, CN veteran Mack Barker is consulting with NS on railway optimization. Barker retired earlier this year after more than 35 years at CN, most recently serving as senior vice president of network operations and planning.
Looks like a deep dive back into PSR II.