71-656: The Mon Line is an 85-mile long Norfolk Southern rail line which runs along the Monongahela River for most of its route. The predecessor of this line is the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railway . The northern portion (Pittsburgh to West Brownsville) of the line is the former main line of the Monongahela Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad , and the southern portion (West Brownsville to Waynesburg)
142-601: A controlled burn of the spill which released hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air. In May 2023, Norfolk Southern announced compensation plans for homeowners whose homes lost value near the 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio . The program applies to parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania near the derailment site and applies to those with homes on the market, future listings or sold since February 3, 2023. NS has also added more trackside detectors to help spot mechanical problems like wheel-bearing temperatures following
213-747: A duopoly over all transcontinental freight rail lines in the Western United States, while CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway operate most of the trackage in the Eastern United States, with the Mississippi River being the rough dividing line. Canadian National Railway (via its subsidiary Grand Trunk Corporation ) operates north–south lines near the Mississippi River. Canadian Pacific Kansas City , doing business as CPKC, runs from southern Canada, then goes south through
284-607: A labor dispute between Norfolk Southern Railway and railway workers has been underway. In September 2022, the workers and companies involved tentatively agreed to a deal, but it was rejected by a majority of the union's members. In late 2022, the United States Congress intervened to prevent a strike by passing the tentative deal into law. Norfolk Southern was the first railroad to offer paid sick leave to all employees. In May 2023, Norfolk Southern agreed to provide up to seven paid sick days per year to employees, meeting one of
355-608: A burglary in Chicago. The officers were unharmed, and the suspects fled. The Norfolk Southern Police runs a program called Protect the Line that encourages citizens and employees to report suspicious activity. The Police Communications Center coordinates responses to potential threats or incidents across the railroad's 20,000 miles of track. On September 15, 2002, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Farragut, Tennessee . The derailment resulted in
426-476: A company that has earned gross revenues exceeding $ 250 million (CAD) for each of the previous two years. Class I railroads are the largest rail carriers in the United States. In 1900, there were 132 Class I railroads, but as the result of mergers and bankruptcies, the industry has consolidated and as of April 2023 , just six Class I freight railroads remain. BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad have
497-446: A comprehensive six-point safety plan which included installing approximately 200 additional hot bearing detectors across its rail network. These detectors are essential in identifying potential issues before they become serious problems, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the rail operations. To address the safety of transporting hazardous materials, in May 2023, Norfolk Southern enlisted
568-458: A large amount of chlorine and diesel fuel being released into nearby waterways. In addition, a toxic cloud covered the city resulting in the town being evacuated. Local wildlife was killed, many of the local crops and vegetation were contaminated or killed, nine human deaths were reported, and thousands were injured. The company was taken to court and fined for violating the Clean Water Act and
639-494: A major portion of the new Southern Railway (SOU). Financier J. P. Morgan selected veteran railroader Samuel Spencer as president. Profitable and innovative, Southern became, in 1953, the first major U.S. railroad to completely switch to diesel-electric locomotives from steam. The City Point Railroad , established in 1838, was a 9-mile (14 km) railroad in Virginia that started south of Richmond —specifically, City Point on
710-541: A proposed merger that had been months in the pipeline with Canadian Pacific was abandoned abruptly. According to NS's 2022 Annual Report to Investors, at the end of 2022, NS had 19,300 employees, 3,190 locomotives, and 40,470 freight cars. At the end of 2022, the transport of coal made up 14% of the total operating revenue of NS, general merchandise (automotive, chemicals, metals, construction materials, agriculture commodities, consumer products, paper, clay, forest products, and more) made up 57%, and intermodal made up 29% of
781-538: A quarterly or annual schedule. In 1925, the ICC reported 174 Class I railroads, 282 Class II railroads, and 348 Class III railroads. The $ 1 million criterion established in 1911 for a Class I railroad was used until January 1, 1956, when the figure was increased to $ 3 million. In 1956, the ICC counted 113 Class I line-haul operating railroads (excluding "3 class I companies in systems") and 309 Class II railroads (excluding "3 class II companies in systems"). The Class III category
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#1732876539101852-605: A vent and burn of the toxic chemical vinyl chloride monomer from the tank car . An NTSB investigator and the Federal Railroad Administration found that the vent and burn was unnecessary. The chemical burn released toxic contaminants into the air, soil, and water in East Palestine, according to the science director at the Science and Environmental Health Network, Todd Schettler. The NTSB concluded that this decision
923-635: Is $ 3.07 billion. Norfolk Southern is one of the five biggest railroad operators in North America by its revenue. It operates in 22 states and in Washington, D.C. The company's market capitalization stood at nearly $ 58 billion in February 2024. Norfolk Southern's predecessor railroads date to the early 19th century. The South Carolina Canal & Rail Road was the SOU's earliest predecessor line. Chartered in 1827,
994-471: Is the leading subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation. Norfolk Southern is responsible for maintaining 28,400 miles (45,700 km), with the remainder being operated under trackage rights from other parties responsible for maintenance work. Intermodal containers and trailers are the most common commodity type carried by NS, which have grown as the coal business has declined throughout
1065-886: The Association of American Railroads as "Regional Railroads" are typically Class II. Some examples of Class II railroads would be the Florida East Coast Railway , the Iowa Interstate Railroad , and the Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway . Class III railroads are typically local shortline railroads serving a small number of towns and industries or hauling cars for one or more railroads; often, they once had been branch lines of larger railroads or even abandoned portions of main lines. Some Class III railroads are owned by railroad holding companies such as Genesee & Wyoming or Watco . Some examples of Class III railroads would be
1136-653: The Cincinnati Southern Railway for $ 1.6 billion. Cincinnati voters approved the sale in the November 2023 election. Norfolk Southern will pay the city $ 1.6 billion and Cincinnati will establish a trust fund with the money, with earned interest going back to Cincinnati to maintain infrastructure. In 2024, the company nominated a slate of new board members. In a letter to shareholders, NS asked them to vote for its slate of 13 nominees at its May shareholder meeting. The company defended its choice of board members, citing
1207-675: The Georgia Tech sustainability program for the next three years. In order to align itself with climate-change goals set by the Paris Agreement , NS aims to cut its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2034. NS has begun measures to lower emissions, such as modernizing more than 100 locomotives each year and equipping 93% of its active locomotive fleet, or 1550 locomotives, with energy-management technology. The company has made efforts to improve environmental sustainability , according to Progressive Railroading magazine. In 2007,
1278-737: The Interstate Commerce Commission for approval to merge and create CSX Corporation . In response, the Southern Railway (SOU, formed in 1894) and Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W, formed in 1881) quickly decided a merger of their own would be advantageous. The two companies announced their merger plans in April 1979; the CSX merger went ahead in 1980. In 1982, SOU and N&W concluded their own merger, creating Norfolk Southern Corporation. In 1990, Norfolk Southern Corporation transferred all
1349-632: The Pittsburgh Line and the Fort Wayne Line . On August 5, 2018, a train running on the Mon Line derailed east of Pittsburgh's Station Square complex and blocked the tracks, forcing freight service to be suspended. The derailed cars fell down the hillside and onto the tracks below at the "T" light rail system's Station Square station and damaged 1,600 feet (490 m) of light rail tracks; 4,000 feet (1,200 m) of overhead electrical wires; and some concrete on
1420-603: The Pittsburgh Line to points further east. This bypasses the easternmost portion of the Fort Wayne Line and the westernmost part of the Pittsburgh Line, which have clearance issues for double-stack trains as of 2016. The line also serves coal mines south of Pittsburgh, including the Bailey Mine. Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway ( reporting mark NS ) is a Class I freight railroad operating in
1491-584: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio . There are 464,000 potential class members, and only 1 percent opted out of the settlement, while 86 objected. Over 90 percent of East Palestine households have reportedly filed claims to access the settlement. Approximately 27 percent of the settlement fund, or around $ 162 million, will be set aside for attorneys' fees to be divided between over 35 law firms that participated in
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#17328765391011562-825: The 1850s. The AM&O was the oldest portion of the Norfolk & Western (N&W) when it was formed in 1881, under E. W. Clark & Co. , ownership with a keen interest and financial investments in the coal fields of Western Virginia and West Virginia. In the second half of the 20th century, the N&;W acquired the Virginian Railway (1959), the Wabash Railway , and the Nickel Plate Road , among others. In January 1979, major eastern United States railroad holding companies Chessie System and Seaboard System Railroad applied to
1633-569: The 2019 thresholds were US$ 504,803,294 for Class I carriers and US$ 40,384,263 for Class II carriers. (Smaller carriers were Class III by default.) There are six Class I freight railroad companies in the United States: BNSF Railway , CSX Transportation , Canadian National Railway , CPKC , Norfolk Southern Railway , and Union Pacific Railroad . Canadian National also operates in Canada and CPKC operates in Canada and Mexico. In addition,
1704-477: The 21st century; coal was formerly the largest traffic source. The railway offers the largest intermodal rail network in eastern North America. NS was also the pioneer of Roadrailer service. Norfolk Southern and its chief competitor, CSX Transportation , have a duopoly on the transcontinental freight rail lines in the Eastern United States . Norfolk Southern is the namesake and leading subsidiary of
1775-716: The Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta , the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway . The company operates 19,420 route miles (31,250 km) in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia , and has rights in Canada over the Albany to Montreal route of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City . Norfolk Southern Railway
1846-705: The Federal Railroad Administration's investigation team found that a fractured track caused the derailment. Norfolk Southern filed a lawsuit in December 2018 seeking $ 1.1 million in reimbursements from the city for the incident, claiming that they had neglected to maintain the hillside. The line begins at CP-BELL, at a junction with the Fort Wayne Line , and then crosses the Ohio River on the Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge , and proceeds along
1917-732: The Federal Superfund law. NS spent a total of $ 26 million for the cleanup. Derailments incidents also occurred in Pennsylvania in 2018, and in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023. A derailment happened in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, United States, on the afternoon of August 5, 2018, when the train was heading from New Jersey to Chicago. On February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying vinyl chloride , butyl acrylate , ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether derailed along Norfolk Southern Railways Fort Wayne Line in East Palestine, Ohio , United States. Emergency crews conducted
1988-489: The ICC in 1996, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has become responsible for defining criteria for each railroad class. The STB continues to use designations of Class II and Class III as there are different labor regulations for the two classes. The bounds are typically redefined every several years to adjust for inflation and other factors. Class II and Class III designations are now rarely used outside
2059-442: The ICC to increase the minimum annual operating revenue criteria (then established at US$ 93.5 million) to avoid being redesignated as Class I, which would have resulted in increased administrative and legal costs. The Class II maximum criterion was increased in 1992 to $ 250 million annually, which resulted in the Florida East Coast Railway having its status changed to Class II. The thresholds set in 1992 were: Since dissolution of
2130-465: The NS-CSX application, effective August 22, 1998. NS acquired 58% of Conrail assets, including about 7,200 miles (11,600 km) of track, most of which was part of the former Pennsylvania Railroad . CSX got the remaining 42%. NS began operating its trains on its portion of the former Conrail network on June 1, 1999, closing out the 1990s merger era. Pennsylvania Lines LLC was a limited liability company
2201-507: The Norfolk Southern Corporation, based in Atlanta , Georgia; it was headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia , until 2021. Norfolk Southern Corporation was incorporated in Virginia on July 23, 1980, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol NSC . The primary business function of Norfolk Southern Corporation is the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods across
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2272-509: The Ohio derailment. Six months after the accident, contractors removed about 25 million gallons of wastewater and 80,000 tons of contaminated soil. By July 2023, NS spent $ 63 million to support the community, including about $ 18 million to reimburse families for housing, food and other expenses. Within eight months of the accident, Norfolk Southern removed more than 167,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 39 million gallons of tainted water from
2343-591: The Panhandle Bridge. The derailment caused no injuries as it occurred 2 minutes after a light rail train departed the station. During cleanup and inspections of the area, the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel was closed and "T" trains were rerouted via the former Brown Line through Allentown. The outbound light rail tracks were opened on August 23, while inbound light rail service resumed on August 25 after repairs were completed. A preliminary report by
2414-669: The South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company became the first to offer regularly scheduled passenger train service with the inaugural run of the Best Friend of Charleston in 1830. Another early predecessor, the Richmond & Danville Railroad (R&D), was formed in 1847 and expanded into a large system after the American Civil War under Algernon S. Buford . The R&D ultimately fell on hard times, and in 1894, it became
2485-469: The Southeast, East, and Midwest United States. The corporation further facilitates transport to the remainder of the United States through interchange with other rail carriers while also serving overseas transport needs by serving several Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports. As of February 2024, Norfolk Southern Corporation's total public stock value is $ 57.869. As of January 2024, Norfolk Southern's operating revenue
2556-446: The board's work to improve long-term shareholder value, hold management accountable, and improve safety and operational performance. Among the 13 nominees, two of them are for new independent directors— Richard H. Anderson , former CEO of Amtrak and Delta Air Lines, and Heidi Heitkamp , a former U.S. Senator. In 2023, retired Navy Admiral Philip Davidson, and Francesca DeBiase, former executive at McDonald's Corporation, were appointed to
2627-498: The board. In early spring of 2008, the state program manager for air quality planning in Georgia, Jimmy Johnston, had been talking to NS about voluntary upgrades to reduce the company's environmental impact. NS is upgrading 3,800 of its locomotives with new technology that is 73 percent more efficient than previous models. The new technology being put into the locomotives makes the ride more fuel efficient and reduces idle time. In 2009,
2698-537: The central United States to central Mexico. In addition, the national passenger railroads in the US and Canada— Amtrak and Via Rail —would both qualify as Class I if they were freight carriers. Mexico's Ferromex would qualify as a Class I railroad if it had trackage in the United States. A Class II railroad in the United States hauls freight and is mid-sized in terms of operating revenue. Switching and terminal railroads are excluded from Class II status. Railroads considered by
2769-435: The class action lawsuit includes compensation for residents and businesses in East Palestine and surrounding communities for personal injuries resulting from exposure to chemicals. Accepting payment from the rail company now would prevent homeowners from pursuing future litigations against Norfolk Southern. On September 25, 2024, the $ 600 million settlement was given final approval by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson , in
2840-457: The common stock of N&W to Southern, and Southern's name was changed to Norfolk Southern Railway Company. In 1998, Norfolk and Western was merged into Norfolk Southern Railway, forming one, united, railroad. Headquarters for the new NS were established in Norfolk, Virginia . The company suffered a slight embarrassment when the marble headpiece at the building's entrance was unveiled, which read "Norfork Southern Railway". A new headpiece replaced
2911-502: The communities within Norfolk Southern's service areas. By September 2023, Norfolk Southern had begun constructing a state-of-the-art railroad safety training center in East Palestine. With a budget of $ 20 million, this facility is designed to train first responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas on how to handle various railroad emergencies. October 2023 saw Norfolk Southern implementing cutting-edge technology with
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2982-432: The company established the rail industry's first chief sustainability officer and published its first sustainability report in 2008. In 2021, Norfolk Southern set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 42% by 2034 and has already achieved a 6% reduction. The company is also upgrading 1,000 locomotives to enhance fuel efficiency and incorporating biofuels and renewable energy into its operations. Since 2019,
3053-706: The company introduced an experimental battery-electric switcher locomotive, NS 999 . This prototype locomotive was developed by Norfolk Southern in collaboration with the United States Department of Energy , the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pennsylvania State University . Norfolk Southern reduced core greenhouse gasses by 13.5% between 2019 and 2021. For its efforts, the company achieved recognition from USA Today's America's Climate Leaders 2023 and Forbes' Net Zero Leaders 2023. In November 2022, Norfolk Southern contributed $ 750,000 to
3124-523: The company's attempt to manufacture evidence by hiring a private firm to conduct tests outside of the NTSB process. The NTSB issued a report in June 2024 on its investigation into the derailment. NTSB's investigators found that Norfolk Southern gave incomplete and misleading information to the local incident commander following the derailment and chemical spill. The incident commander, based on this information, conducted
3195-582: The company's board. The division of organized labor on the issue surfaced in April. Labor was divided on the issue, which led to a proxy battle ahead of an annual shareholder meeting. Unions criticized investors' plans to replace Shaw and implement an industry operating model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading , saying such a model is "unrealistic." In the end, shareholders voted to keep Shaw as CEO, but voted in three new directors. Norfolk Southern Railway maintains its own railroad police force , tasked with enforcing laws and investigating incidents involving
3266-487: The company's property. The Norfolk Southern Police Department, based in Atlanta, operates across 22 states with special agents responsible for protecting employees, the public, company property, and freight. The department's Police Communications Center, also in Atlanta, functions 24/7, coordinating field operations. Officers receive state-mandated training to maintain certification, alongside additional annual training provided by
3337-492: The company, which was ultimately carried out in 1987 instead of a sale to one operator. NS again expressed interest in a Conrail purchase in 1994, but this time Conrail publicly stated it had no interest in selling to another company. The company began to reconsider this stance after several expansion initiatives failed. After confidential discussions, Conrail and CSX made a surprise announcement in October 1996 that CSX would acquire
3408-495: The company. Norfolk Southern was unwilling to let a CSX purchase go through, beginning a bidding war between the two competitors that was only resolved in January 1997 when an agreement was reached to split Conrail. NS and CSX applied to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for authority to purchase, divide, and operate the assets of Conrail in June 1997. On June 8, 1998, the STB approved
3479-553: The department. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as these officers are employed by the railroad and may prioritize protecting corporate interests over public safety. In 2023, an accident involving a Norfolk Southern train in Georgia severely injured Charlotte Cleary, a 14-year-old girl. This case became central to growing calls for reform and increased independent oversight of railroad policing practices. In November 2024, shots were fired at Norfolk Southern Railway police officers during an investigation of
3550-465: The derailment. According to the NTSB, Norfolk Southern obstructed the government's investigation into the derailment by withholding important safety information from first responders and local authorities. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy accused the company of threatening the board and obstructing the investigation by delaying or failing to provide critical information. Homendy described Norfolk Southern's behavior as “unconscionable” and “reprehensible,” citing
3621-532: The erroneous one several weeks later. The system grew with the acquisition of over half of Conrail . The Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) was an 11,000-mile (18,000 km) system formed in 1976 from the Penn Central Railroad (1968–1976), and five other ailing northeastern railroads that were conveyed into it, forming a government-financed corporation. Conrail was perhaps the most controversial conglomerate in corporate history. Penn Central itself
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#17328765391013692-658: The former main line of the PRR Monongahela Division and it became the new Mon Line. In the 1990s, the northern section of the Mon Line began to be used, together with the Port Perry Branch , as a high-clearance route for double-stack container trains . In 2016, a landslide occurred on the Mon Line at the foot of Mount Washington , on part of the line used for double-stack trains. Due to the landslide, Norfolk Southern sought funding in 2017 in order to create an alternative double-stack route through Pittsburgh, using
3763-445: The help of Atkins Nuclear Secured (ANS). The team, led by a former chief of the U.S. Navy's Nuclear Propulsion program and comprising several ex-Navy admirals, was tasked with evaluating and improving the railroad's safety protocols. That same month, CEO Alan Shaw, along with 12 union leaders, took a united stand on safety by issuing a joint letter. This letter emphasized their commitment to improving rail safety for both employees and
3834-405: The historic train depot, enhancing City Lake, improving the municipal water treatment plant, renovating East Palestine City Park, and establishing a First Responder Training Center. Residents in East Palestine affected by the Norfolk Southern train derailment have the option to join a class action lawsuit to potentially receive a portion of a $ 600 million settlement. The agreement-in-principle of
3905-524: The introduction of Digital Train Inspection Portals. The first of these portals, located between Leetonia and Columbiana, features 42 powerful lights and 38 high-definition cameras to capture detailed images of passing trains. These images are then analyzed by computers to detect any defects that might lead to derailments, marking a significant advancement in rail safety in the United States. Norfolk Southern's safety achievements in 2023 were notable. It
3976-641: The lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached a settlement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company in May 2024 to address the derailment. The settlement includes over $ 310 million for cleanup efforts, penalties, and future costs associated with the environmental impact. However, Norfolk Southern officials estimate that the company will end up paying over $ 1 billion to address contamination in East Palestine. The National Transportation Safety Board found that Norfolk Southern mishandled its response to
4047-623: The national passenger railroad in the United States, Amtrak , would qualify as Class I if it were a freight carrier, as would Canada's Via Rail passenger service. Mexico 's Ferromex freight railroad would also qualify as Class I, but it does not operate within the United States. Initially (in 1911) the former federal agency Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) classified railroads by their annual gross revenue . Class I railroads had an annual operating revenue of at least $ 1 million, while Class III railroad incomes were under $ 100,000. Railroads in both classes were subject to reporting requirements on
4118-633: The navigable portion of the James River , now part of the independent city of Hopewell —and ran to Petersburg . It was acquired by the South Side Railroad in 1854. After the Civil War, it became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a trunk line across Virginia's southern tier formed by mergers in 1870 by William Mahone , who had built the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad in
4189-420: The rail transport industry. The Association of American Railroads typically divides non–Class I companies into three categories: In the United States, the Surface Transportation Board categorizes rail carriers into Class I, Class II, and Class III based on the carrier's annual revenue. The thresholds, last adjusted for inflation in 2019, are: In Canada , a Class I rail carrier is defined (as of 2004 ) as
4260-498: The release of oleum or fuming sulfuric acid . Roughly 2,600 residents were evacuated from nearby homes for three days until hazardous materials crews were able to mitigate the scene. No fatalities or major injuries were reported as a result of the derailment, but property damage and losses were calculated at $ 1.02 million. Seventeen people were injured. On January 6, 2005, a derailment in Graniteville, South Carolina , resulted in
4331-409: The site. Norfolk Southern is continuing to collect 2,500 soil samples from the site to ensure all the contamination is gone. As of June 2024, Norfolk Southern contributed over $ 107 million in aid to East Palestine, including nearly $ 21 million paid out directly to residents whose lives were affected by the derailment. Norfolk Southern worked on several projects in East Palestine, including renovating
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#17328765391014402-623: The southern side of the Ohio and Monongahela rivers. The Port Perry Branch joins the line at the PRR Port Perry Bridge near Duquesne, Pennsylvania . There is a section of on-street running track in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania . The line ends near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania . The Mon Line is used for high-clearance double stack container trains between the Fort Wayne Line and the Port Perry Branch, which continues on to join
4473-464: The total. On December 12, 2018, Norfolk Southern announced that it would be leaving its hometown of Norfolk, Virginia after 38 years and relocating its headquarters to Atlanta , Georgia. The new Atlanta headquarters building opened on November 10, 2021. In June 2023, Norfolk Southern became the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide all its union workers sick time. In July 2023, Norfolk Southern announced plans to purchase
4544-408: The workforce demands that nearly led to a nation-wide rail strike in December 2022. On December 6, 2022, Norfolk Southern announced a new service and growth plan that will ensure the company maintains its train crew levels during downturns. In 2024, an investor group led an effort to bring in a new leadership team at NS. The proposal would have removed Alan Shaw as CEO and replaced seven directors on
4615-508: Was based on misinterpreted evidence, contributing to unnecessary environmental harm. Norfolk Southern has made efforts to improve safety, launching several initiatives and programs to protect both their employees and local communities. In 2015, Norfolk Southern introduced the Operation Awareness & Response program, which trains around 5,000 first responders annually, equipping them with the knowledge to handle rail-related emergencies effectively. In early 2023, Norfolk Southern rolled out
4686-430: Was created by merging three venerable rivals—the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR, 1846), the New York Central Railroad (NYC, 1831), and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H, 1872)—as well as some smaller competitors. In 1980, Conrail became profitable after the Staggers Act largely deregulated the U.S. railroad industry. When the U.S. government offered up Conrail for sale in 1983, Norfolk Southern
4757-492: Was dropped in 1956 but reinstated in 1978. By 1963, the number of Class I railroads had dropped to 102; cutoffs were increased to $ 5 million by 1965, to $ 10 million in 1976 and to $ 50 million in 1978, at which point only 41 railroads qualified as Class I. In a special move in 1979, all switching and terminal railroads were re-designated Class III — even those with Class I or Class II revenues. In early 1991, two Class II railroads, Montana Rail Link and Wisconsin Central , asked
4828-436: Was formed in 1998 to own Conrail lines assigned to Norfolk Southern in the split of Conrail; operations were switched over on June 1, 1999. The company is named after the old Pennsylvania Railroad , whose old main line was a line of the new company. In November, 2003, the Surface Transportation Board approved a plan allowing Norfolk Southern to fully absorb Pennsylvania Lines LLC, which was done on August 27, 2004. In 2016,
4899-421: Was once part of the Monongahela Railway 's Waynesburg Southern Branch . Its northern terminus was formerly at the junction with the Panhandle Route at the Panhandle Bridge in Pittsburgh , and its southern terminus was near Brownsville, Pennsylvania where it had a connection to the Monongahela Railway. Conrail transferred the West Brownsville to Waynesburg trackage from the Waynesburg Southern Branch to
4970-449: Was one of the 18 bidders to make offers. The government decided the NS offer was the best choice, and by 1985 had begun planning to sell Conrail to NS. Extensive opposition from competitors, particularly CSX, persuaded the government that selling Conrail to one railroad would create too powerful of a company. As an alternative, Conrail leader (and former Southern Railway CEO) L. Stanley Crane proposed an initial public offering to privatize
5041-474: Was the only Class I railroad to significantly reduce the rate of mainline derailments, even as the industry as a whole experienced a decline in this area. Railroad classes Railroad classes are the system by which freight railroads are designated in the United States . Railroads are assigned to Class I, II or III according to annual revenue criteria originally set by the Surface Transportation Board in 1992. With annual adjustments for inflation,
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