ASLRRA President Chuck Baker
Commentary

Short Lines Are Dependable and Get the Job Done

ASLRRA PERSPECTIVE, RAILWAY AGE DECEMBER 2023 ISSUE: The story of “The Little Engine That Could” began as an American folktale popularized by various authors in the 1900s. An early published version of the tale appeared in 1906 under the title “Thinking One Can” in Wellspring for Young People, a national Sunday School Publication. A subsequent version was published in 1910 in the Kindergarten Review under the title “The Pony Engine.” In 1930, the story became widely known under the title “The Little Engine That Could” after a Chicago publishing house released it as an illustrated children’s book that was used in schools to teach children the value of optimism and hard work.

Meet the Speakers of the 2024 MARS Winter Meeting

The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) will host its annual Winter Meeting Jan. 9-11, 2024, in Lombard, Ill., at the Westin Chicago Lombard hotel.

“I said from the beginning that Norfolk Southern would be here for the long haul and we will be here to see this community through,” NS CEO Alan Shaw told attendees of a Nov. 30 economic development roundtable discussion in East Palestine, Ohio. (NS Photograph)

Class I Briefs: CPKC, NS

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) in November unloaded its first 8,500-foot grain train in the U.S. Also, Norfolk Southern (NS) late last month held a roundtable discussion in East Palestine, Ohio, with local officials, focusing on long-term economic opportunities for businesses and residents.

Since implementing Yard Planner in early September, Norfolk Southern said it has seen improvements in the predictability of its Norris Yard operations. (NS Photograph)

NS Debuts ‘Yard Planner’ to Boost Safety, Service

Norfolk Southern (NS) is implementing Wabtec’s Yard Planner technology at Norris Yard in Birmingham, Ala., “to improve our operational consistency and increase on-time delivery of freight to our customers,” the Class I

2023 Environmental Excellence Award Winner, Adam Motzinger. (AAR Photograph)

Motsinger Earns AAR Environmental Excellence Award

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has recognized Norfolk Southern’s (NS) Adam Motsinger for environmental excellence in 2023.

CSX Update on Howells Yard Derailment

CSX late on Nov. 17 reported that recovery efforts were under way at its Howells Yard in Atlanta, Ga., following an early-morning collision of a Norfolk Southern (NS) train with a standing CSX train at an interchange point.

Buckingham Branch Railroad to Acquire Rail Lines From NS

Buckingham Branch Railroad Company (BBRR) has filed a verified notice of exemption to acquire from Norfolk Southern (NS) approximately 58.1 route miles of a railroad line extending from milepost F86.0 at Burkeville, Va., to milepost F65.8 at Keysville, Va. (historically known as the F Line), and from milepost D0.0 at Keysville, Va., to milepost D37.9 at Clarksville, Va. (historically known as the D Line) from the Class I railroad, according to a Nov. 17 Federal Register report.

AAR’s AVP of Environment, Hazardous Materials and Climate Change Devin Sprinkle with honorees Rick Verkler of CN (left) and Mark Dudle of Norfolk Southern (right). (AAR Photograph)

CN, NS Railroaders Earn AAR Environmental Achievement Awards

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recognized CN’s Rick Verkler and Norfolk Southern’s (NS) Mark Dudle with Career Environmental Achievement Awards at the Railroad Environmental Conference, held Nov. 14-15 in Illinois.

“CSX is the proud successor to America’s first commercial railroad—the Baltimore & Ohio,” CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs said. ”As proud as we are of our heritage, we are equally excited about the future. Both the future of our modern transportation company, and the future of the dynamic and visionary B&O Railroad Museum. Which is why I am honored to chair the B&O Museum’s 200th Anniversary Campus Transformation Campaign, as we prepare to celebrate the bicentennial of American railroading in 2027.”

Class I Briefs: CSX, NS

CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs is chairing the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum’s capital campaign to transform its campus in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American railroading. Also, Norfolk Southern (NS) recognizes more than 230 years of safety excellence on the Blue Ridge Division.

Part of a systemwide standardization initiative, new green-red switch targets indicate to operators when trains will be guided—or switched—from one track to another. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of UP)

Class I Briefs: UP, BNSF, CSX, NS

Two members of Union Pacific’s (UP) Big Spring, Tex., Transportation team have logged more than 1,000 days reportable injury-free. Also, BNSF, Norfolk Southern (NS) and UP are ranked on the Military Times’ “Best for Vets” employer list; and BNSF, CSX and NS receive 2024 Military Friendly® employer recognition.

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