NS Recognizes 43 Safe Shippers
Norfolk Southern (NS) has presented its 2020 Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award to 43 customers for safely handling products regulated as hazardous materials.
Norfolk Southern (NS) has presented its 2020 Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award to 43 customers for safely handling products regulated as hazardous materials.
For several months, Railway Age has reported extensively on Amtrak’s efforts to begin running two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, and the strong opposition to the plan voiced by CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS). The focus has been on the railroads. But there’s another vital interest at stake: that of the American people to be able to ride new services on “America’s Railroad.”
Is this New Orleans-to-Mobile Amtrak commuter-like train proposal “a rather complex story,” like the meaning behind the lyrics of the 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd hit, Sweet Home Alabama?
Trends across the rail industry appear positive, although ongoing congestion is an issue for inland ramps, according to leaders at our recent “Suds with Seidl” event.
CSX has appointed Mark K. Wallace, Kevin S. Boone and Sean R. Pelkey to senior leadership roles; Norfolk Southern (NS) has promoted Jason Morris to Vice President Labor Relations; and A. Stucki Co. has named Philip F. Pietrandrea Division President of Maintenance of Way.
Amtrak is looking to expand its network of passenger trains, for the first time in two decades. The proposal by “America’s Railroad” to add dozens of new corridors and state-supported trains to its network has drawn both support and criticism from advocates: support because it marks a new attitude on Amtrak’s part favoring expansion (of some sort, at least); criticism because it does not go far enough toward pushing for more long-distance trains or recognizing the contributions of the citizen-advocates who have been calling for more trains throughout almost all of Amtrak’s 50-year history.
Norfolk Southern (NS) has earned Toyota Logistics Services’ 2020 Environmental Award and Kaizen Award for its commitment to sustainability practices and continuous improvement in customer service, respectively.
The state of Georgia and the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (JDA) are purchasing the 2,284-acre Bryan County Mega-Site, which is less than 30 miles from the Port of Savannah and offers direct access to Georgia Central Railway, with connections to CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS); the Ceres Global Ag Corp. will build a $350 million integrated canola processing facility in Northgate, Saskatchewan, with a direct connection to BNSF.
Amtrak is attempting to start service between Mobile and New Orleans, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) oppose Amtrak’s plan, and the issue is now before the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The issues are purportedly operational, having to do with rail capacity at the Port of Mobile, although there are also procedural issues to the controversy. There is a political dimension, too, with essentially the entire political establishment in Mississippi supporting Amtrak’s position and all of Alabama’s opposing it.
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) on May 28 sent identical letters to the Class I railroad CEOs—the second set of letters in as many days—requesting that they continue providing quarterly information about their revenues from demurrage and accessorial charges.