88-614: The Pittsburgh Line is the Norfolk Southern Railway 's primary east–west artery in its Pittsburgh Division and Harrisburg Division across the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is part of the Keystone Corridor , Amtrak -Norfolk Southern's combined rail corridor. The Pittsburgh Line spans 248 miles (399 km) between its namesake city of Pittsburgh (PT 353.3) and the state capital in Harrisburg (PT 105.1), crossing
176-601: 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
264-607: 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
352-608: 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
440-446: 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
528-844: A few continuing south to Baltimore and points east, while others bypass Enola and cross the Rockville Bridge over the Susquehanna to Harrisburg bound for Allentown and points east. On its west end, the Pittsburgh Line becomes the Fort Wayne Line after crossing the Allegheny River bridge , where trains travel 23 miles (37 km) to reach Conway Yard . Conway is the hub of activity in Western Pennsylvania , where many trains originate and terminate, with many of those trains being
616-563: A few gravity yards were ever built, sometimes requiring massive earthwork (one example is the first German gravity yard at Dresden). The historic technique of a gravity yard is today partly presented in Chemnitz -Hilbersdorf gravity yard (museum). Most gravity yards were built in Germany (especially in the kingdom of Saxony ) and Great Britain (so Edgehill, 1873), a few also in some other European countries, for example Łazy yard near Zawiercie on
704-412: A gentle slope, not enough to allow a free-fall operation without locomotives. Freight cars are pushed by a locomotive and coast to their required location. Gravity yards were invented in the 19th century, saving shunting engines and instead letting the cars roll by gravity was seen as a major benefit, whereas the larger amount of manual work required to stop the rolling cars in the classification tracks
792-503: A grade of about 1.8%. Roughly halfway up the westward ascent lies the Horseshoe Curve . Originally constructed by the PRR in 1854, the 220-degree curve was the solution for the railroad to gain enough elevation around a valley to reach the higher land across to continue west. Constructed mainly by immigrants, the curve was built by cutting into the hillside around Kittanning Point and filling in
880-458: 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
968-494: 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
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#17328553824321056-541: 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
1144-436: A railroad timetable station called "SF", the three tracks split. Tracks 2 (bi-directional) and 3 (westward) continue on towards Gallitzin at their same ascent, while Track 1 (eastward) diverges up a 2.46% grade known as "The Slide", which is a downhill-only track restricting trains to traveling no more than 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) over its steep grade. Both sets of main tracks pass through tunnels to exit and crest in
1232-1092: A retarder in each one, often 32 tracks altogether. In the United States, many classification bowls have more than 40 tracks, frequently divided into six to ten classification tracks in each balloon loop. Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska , United States, the world's largest classification yard, is a hump yard. Other large American hump yards include Argentine Yard in Kansas City, Kansas , Robert Young Yard in Elkhart, Indiana , Clearing Yard in Chicago , Illinois , Englewood Yard in Houston , Texas , and Waycross Rice Yard in Waycross, Georgia . Notably, in Europe, Russia, and China, all major classification yards are hump yards. Europe's largest hump yard
1320-522: A risk of grounding with larger frames. For this and other reasons, one can sometimes find locomotives specifically made or converted to work a hump yard. For example, the British Rail Class 13 was converted from a pair of British Rail Class 08 to provide more power than one could get with a single Class 08. The class 13s were built because of the risk of grounding with larger locos like the British Rail Class 20 . Special locomotives for hump yards in
1408-605: 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
1496-635: 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,
1584-825: Is a Class I freight railroad operating in 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
1672-427: Is a railway yard found at some freight train stations , used to separate railway cars onto one of several tracks. First, the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill . From there, the cars are sent through a series of switches called a ladder onto the classification tracks. Larger yards tend to put the lead on an artificially built hill called a hump to use the force of gravity to propel
1760-608: Is done by mechanized "rail brakes," called retarders, which brake cars by gripping their wheels. They are operated either pneumatically or hydraulically . Pneumatic systems are prevalent in the United States, France , Belgium , Russia and China , while hydraulic systems are used in Germany , Italy and the Netherlands . Classification bowls in Europe typically consist of 20 to 40 tracks, divided into several fans or balloons of tracks, usually with eight classification tracks following
1848-416: Is limited to a small part of the yard, namely the hump. It is the heart of the yard—a lead track on a small hill over which an engine pushes the cars. Single cars, or a block of coupled cars, are uncoupled at or just before the crest of the hump and roll by gravity onto their destination tracks in the area of the yard where the cars are sorted, called the classification bowl. The first hump in Germany (Leipzig)
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#17328553824321936-782: Is that of Maschen near Hamburg , Germany; it is only slightly smaller than Bailey Yard. The second largest is in the port of Antwerp , Belgium. Most hump yards are single yards with one classification bowl, but some, mostly very large, hump yards have two of them, one for each direction, and thus are double yards, such as the Maschen, Antwerp, Clearing, and Bailey yards. Almost all gravity yards have been retrofitted with humps and are worked as hump yards. Examples include Chemnitz Hilbersdorf (today Saxon Railway Museum ), Dresden Friedrichstadt and Nürnberg ( Nuremberg ) Rbf (Rbf: Rangierbahnhof , "classification yard"), in Germany. Hump yards sometimes require unique locomotives; for example, there can be
2024-471: 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
2112-484: Is the only passenger service that remains in operation on the Pittsburgh Line, making stops at Harrisburg , Lewistown , Huntingdon , Tyrone , Altoona , Johnstown , Latrobe , Greensburg , and Pittsburgh . In May 2013 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania agreed to US$ 3.8 million in funding to subsidize the passenger line. Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway ( reporting mark NS )
2200-677: The Allegheny Mountains through the Gallitzin Tunnels west of Altoona and the famous Horseshoe Curve in the process. Its east end connects with the railroad's Harrisburg Line HP 112.9) to Reading and Philadelphia, and the west end connects to the Fort Wayne Line to Conway, Pennsylvania , and points west in Ohio and Indiana . The Pittsburgh Line is arguably Norfolk Southern's busiest freight corridor, where 50 to 70 trains traverse
2288-587: The Allegheny River to form the Fort Wayne Line . Until reaching Altoona, the Pittsburgh Line is a double-track mainline from Duncannon. Once at Altoona, a third track is added for the climb up the Allegheny Mountains. The line goes back to two at Conpit Junction, where the Conemaugh Line remains a single-track route. On the east slope of the Alleghenies, the tracks traverse remote mountainous terrain at
2376-653: 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
2464-675: 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,
2552-737: 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
2640-693: The Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad (now known as the Keystone Corridor ). The Main Line served as the PRR's primary route across Pennsylvania, continuing its existence through the Penn Central years and the early years of Conrail . Conrail broke the PRR Main Line into two rail lines again, reestablishing the Pittsburgh Line and the PRR Philadelphia main line which eventually became known as
2728-496: The Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line , now under the ownership of Amtrak . The Pittsburgh Line received its current name in the 1980s under Conrail. The Pittsburgh Line was passed down to the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1999 during the breakup of Conrail between Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation . The Pittsburgh Line is marked with three major freight terminals at its ends. On its east end, Harrisburg Terminal handles
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2816-584: 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
2904-564: The Warsaw–Vienna Railway (in Poland ). In the US, there were very few old gravity yards; one of the few gravity yards in operation today is CSX's Readville Yard south of Boston, Massachusetts . Hump yards are the largest and most effective classification yards, with the largest shunting capacity, often several thousand cars a day. They work similarly to gravity yards, but the falling gradient
2992-825: 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
3080-477: 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
3168-784: 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
3256-654: The Gallitzin Tunnel was officially closed. Past Gallitzin, the railroad passes through the small town of Cresson , where all of the Pittsburgh Line's tracks come back together. Here is also where a locomotive helper base is located, as well as interchange(s) with the RJ Corman Railroad . Past Cresson, the railroad passes down the Alleghenies' west slope, through the towns of Lilly , Cassandra , Portage , Wilmore , Summerhill , South Fork , Mineral Point , Parkhill , and East Conemaugh before reaching Johnstown at
3344-692: The Middle Division Main Line and the Pittsburgh Division Main Line into one rail line, forming the Pittsburgh Line, though at the time the Pittsburgh Line was not referred to by that name. At the same time the Middle Division and the Pittsburgh Division were also combined. The Pennsylvania Railroad eventually combined the merged Middle Division/Pittsburgh Division Main Line with their main rail line to Philadelphia , forming
3432-510: The NS system. Originally constructed by the PRR in 1850, this large complex of shops is what gave the city of Altoona its worth and structure. Leaving Altoona, the railroad travels at a 1.76% grade up the east slope of the Alleghenies , negotiating the famous Horseshoe Curve during that climb. Past the curve, the Pittsburgh Line continues to climb a grade of 1.86% to the small town of Gallitzin , where
3520-465: 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
3608-507: 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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3696-509: 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
3784-669: 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
3872-469: 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
3960-446: 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
4048-448: 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,
4136-494: The bottom of the mountain. South Fork is the junction of the South Fork Secondary, a coal route used to reach local mines in the area which generates a train or two a day bound for various destinations. Helper locomotives are used by Norfolk Southern to assist heavy trains over mountainous portions of the Pittsburgh Line. Helper crews are mainly based in Altoona and Conemaugh / Johnstown , though some helpers are called as far away as Pittsburgh . Today, Amtrak 's Pennsylvanian
4224-418: The bulk of the railroad's intermodal traffic, with a handful of intermodal trains originating and terminating there. Across the Susquehanna River in Enola is Norfolk Southern's major freight terminal in the Greater Harrisburg area: Enola Yard , which handles almost all manifest freight traffic that passes through the area. Many of the Pittsburgh Line's manifest freight trains originate or terminate here, with
4312-540: The cars through the ladder. Freight trains that consist of isolated cars must be made into trains and divided according to their destinations; thus, the cars must be shunted several times along their route in contrast to a unit train , which carries, for example, automobiles from the plant to a port , or coal from a mine to the power plant . This shunting is done partly at the starting and final destinations and partly (for long-distance hauling) in classification yards. Flat yards are constructed on flat ground or
4400-435: 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
4488-457: 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
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#17328553824324576-448: The communities of Marysville , Cove , and Duncannon . At Duncannon, the Pittsburgh Line leaves the Susquehanna and follows the path of the smaller Juniata River , which it will follow for much of its length to Altoona . This segment is unofficially dubbed the "Middle Division", after the Pittsburgh Line's predecessor, the Middle Division Main Line which was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) Middle Division. U.S. Route 22 follows
4664-443: 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
4752-432: 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,
4840-569: 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
4928-429: 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
5016-582: 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
5104-437: 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
5192-442: 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
5280-399: 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
5368-401: The curve, the Pittsburgh Line continues west to Gallitzin, passing through MG Interlocking a mile west of Horseshoe Curve, whose old PRR interlocking tower is also on the historic register, though off-limits to the public. East of Gallitzin, the railroad passes through Bennington Curve, the site of a PRR passenger wreck in 1947 killing 16 people and injuring over 100. Past Bennington Curve at
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#17328553824325456-553: 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
5544-465: 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
5632-469: 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
5720-445: 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
5808-405: 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
5896-463: 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
5984-567: 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
6072-401: The line daily and is the leading connector of intermodal traffic between New York City and Chicago. The Pittsburgh Line was originally owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). It began as two rail lines, the Middle Division Main Line which was part of the PRR Middle Division and the Pittsburgh Division Main Line which was part of the PRR Pittsburgh Division. The Pennsylvania Railroad combined
6160-440: The line divides. Westbound and lighter eastbound trains take the again-graded Pittsburgh Line west towards Pittsburgh, while heavier eastbound trains take the Conemaugh Line on an easier routing from Pittsburgh, which continues to follow the Conemaugh River. The Conemaugh Line joins back in with the Pittsburgh Line at CP-PENN in Pittsburgh. The line's westernmost end is at CP-WEST PITT by Pittsburgh's Amtrak station, where it crosses
6248-410: The mainline reaches the top of its climb at 2,167 feet (661 m) above sea level, the total westward climb from Altoona amounting to 12 miles (19 km). From there, the railroads descends the Alleghenies' west slope to Johnstown, a total distance of about 25 miles (40 km). From Johnstown, the Pittsburgh Line follows the path of the Conemaugh River on both of its banks to Conpit Junction, where
6336-633: 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
6424-497: The necessary places for the railroad right-of-way to be laid. Today, the curve functions as a tourist attraction for both railroad enthusiasts and the rest of the public, and is a magnet for drawing visitors from all over the globe. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places , and boasts a visitors park in the apex of the curve adjacent to the Pittsburgh Line tracks, as well as a visitors center and gift shop . Past
6512-440: The old non-retarder yards, braking was usually done in Europe by railroaders who laid skates onto the tracks. The skate or wheel chock was manually (or, in rare cases, mechanically) placed on one or both of the rails so that the treadles or rims of the wheel or wheels caused frictional retardation and resulted in the halting of the railway car. In the United States, riders in cars did this braking. In modern retarder yards, this work
6600-498: 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
6688-668: The route for much of its length here. The line interchanges with the Juniata Valley Railroad at Lewistown , and with the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad at Tyrone . Once at Altoona, the railroad arrives at the base of the Allegheny Mountain Front , which it must climb to reach Johnstown and Pittsburgh . Altoona is the site of the Norfolk Southern (NS) 's Juniata Shops , the largest locomotive repair facility on
6776-547: The same freight trains that originate and terminate at Enola Yard, respectively. Conway is the hub of operations for Norfolk Southern in the Greater Pittsburgh area, featuring a hump yard and a crew change point for virtually all Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Line trains. From Harrisburg / Enola , the railroad travels northwest following the path of the Susquehanna River parallel to U.S. Route 11 / 15 , passing through
6864-409: 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
6952-464: 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
7040-527: The town of Gallitzin. Tracks 2 and 3 pass through the new Allegheny Tunnel, while Track 1 passes through the New Portage Tunnel . A third tunnel can be seen; the Gallitzin Tunnel, which used to house Track 3 before the Allegheny Tunnel was heightened and widened to house Tracks 2 and 3 as well as doublestack container traffic on intermodal trains in 1994. Upon its completion in 1995,
7128-459: 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
7216-570: 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
7304-560: Was built in 1858 and in France (Saint-Etienne) in 1863. The speed of the cars rolling down from the hump into the classification bowl must be regulated according to whether they are full or empty, heavy or light freight, varying number of axles, whether there are few or many cars on the classification tracks, and varying weather conditions, including temperature, wind speed, and direction. In regards to speed regulation, there are two types of hump yards—with or without mechanization by retarders . In
7392-664: 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
7480-506: 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,
7568-427: Was judged to be not that important. Gravity yards were a historical step in the development of classification yards. They were later judged as inferior to hump yards because it became clear that shunting engines were needed anyway (at least in inclement weather like strong winds or icy temperatures when the oil in the bearings became thick) and because manual labor was getting relatively more and more expensive. Thus, only
7656-449: 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
7744-561: 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. Hump yard A classification yard ( American English , as well as the Canadian National Railway ), marshalling yard ( British , Hong Kong , Indian , and Australian English , as well as the Canadian Pacific Railway ) or shunting yard (Central Europe)
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