Norfolk Southern’s 2016 Annual Report highlights commitments met to lower costs, increase profitability, improve service, and enhance shareholder value

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Norfolk Southern’s 2016 Annual Report highlights commitments met to lower costs, increase profitability, improve service, and enhance shareholder value

NORFOLK, Va., March 22, 2017 – Norfolk Southern today posted its 2016 Annual Report online, highlighting success at achieving first-year goals in the railroad’s five-year strategic plan to streamline operations, drive profitability and growth, and enhance shareholder value.

In the report, titled “Delivering On Our Commitments,” CEO Jim Squires tells shareholders that the company finished the year “a stronger, faster, lower-cost, and more profitable railroad.” Through the continued successful execution of its strategic plan, Norfolk Southern met or exceeded the company’s targets to lower operating costs and increase profitability while improving customer service, “putting us well on our way to achieving our 2020 goals,” Squires said.

For the year, the company:

·        Achieved an all-time best operating ratio of 68.9 percent;

·        Reduced expenses in all areas of operations to generate savings of $250 million, surpassing a targeted $130 million;

·        Increased income from railway operations and net income by 7 percent each, driven by an 11 percent decrease in operating costs;

·        Produced year-over-year earnings per share growth of 10 percent; and

·        Rationalized 1,000 miles of secondary rail lines.

While exercising disciplined cost control, the company invested in strategic capital projects “to ensure safe and efficient operations and promote growth,” Squires noted. In addition, efforts to improve locomotive fuel-efficiency, reliability, and emissions reduction continued as a cornerstone of the company’s sustainability and business strategy, he said.

Amid shifting markets and industry dynamics, Squires said, the company is “more focused than ever on services that will help convert freight from highway to rail.” To drive growth, the company is working on customer-service initiatives that range from modernizing its e-commerce platforms to developing shared performance indicators to measure service.

Squires notes that the railroad’s management team began a structured dialogue with key customers and is using their input to improve operating efficiencies and deliver a superior service product.

“We are changing the way we do business in order to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations and to drive superior value creation for shareholders,” Squires said.

The report, in PDF format, can be downloaded from the corporate website.

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

Media Inquiries:

Rick Harris, 404-529-2310 (rick.harris@nscorp.com)

Investor Inquiries:

Katie Cook, 757-629-2861 (katie.cook@nscorp.com)

http://www.norfolksouthern.com

 

3 weeks away! The Easter Bunny Train Ride & Easter Egg Hunt

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Dear Jan, JUST 3 WEEKS AWAY! Ride the ONLY Easter Bunny train ride where you get off the train and have an Easter Egg Hunt! While on the train visit with Mr. E. Bunny. Give him a hug and take a picture! Your ride will wind along the scenic Delaware River leaving from the Historic District of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. The train will travel along the river to Carpentersville and our destination will be the site of the historic Lime Kilns. In front of the 150 year old Lime kilns is a beautiful little glade filled with Easter Eggs! Once we arrive you can get off the train, take a picture with Mr. Bunny and gather 4 Easter eggs filled with little toys ( similar to what you find in cracker jack).   Enjoy the cute Easter music on the train, the gift shop, the snack bar, our banjo playing Hobo and a Juggler, its fun for the whole family! Trips run on: April 8, 9 and 15th 11am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm and 3:30 pm BUY TICKETS NOW  Thomas Comes In July! TICKETS NOW ON SALE JULY 7,8,9,14,15,16, Day Out With Thomas is a family event that offers children and their grownups the opportunity to ride with classic storybook friend Thomas the Tank Engine™ . Parents, grandparents and siblings join their aspiring engineers in the fun. The Day Out With Thomas experience will engineer miles of smiles for the whole family and introduce a new generation to the timeless excitement of railroading. The train pulled by Thomas leaves every hour on the hour, 10 am to 5 pm. You may also ride  the River Train along the scenic Delaware River  to Pinchers Point, New Jersey ( an hour and fifteen minute round trip).  For an added adventure take the River Train  to the Ol' Susquehanna Mine , enjoy the animated Mine Shaft Explosion, History and learn how to pan for Gem Stones that you can take home!. The trips pulled by Thomas take you along the beautiful Delaware River to North Carpentersville New Jersey, a 25 minute ride. The River Train   pulled by our STEAM locomotive #142  follows the same route  journeying further along the river to Edingers  with a brief stop at the "Old Susquehanna" gem stone mine.  At the mine you may get off , visit the mine and learn how to pan for gems.  Each passenger receives a bag of mine tiling's , a brief history of the mine and use of the  sluice to prospect for their very own gem stones they can bring home!  You may also purchase tickets the day of the event for all trains although we advise that you purchase your tickets in advance. Trains to  and from the mine depart every hour.  Stay at the mine as little as an hour or as long as you like! Experience the exploding mine shaft tour-- its a hoot! GREAT ENTERTAINMENT! TICKETS NOW ON SALE The Delaware River Railroad Excursions is operated by the New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society Inc, a 501 c (3) non profit corporation.  We are operated entirely by volunteers.

The Delaware River Railroad Excursions, 99 Elizabeth Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865

Norfolk Southern safety train begins 23-city tour to educate first responders

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NORFOLK, Va., March 20, 2017 – Norfolk Southern’s safety train will stop in 23 cities during 2017 as part of its Operation Awareness & Response (OAR) program, which provides first responders with free training on how to respond to a railroad incident.

The safety train kicks off March 21 in Hagerstown, Md., with three days of training at Norfolk Southern’s rail terminal. Additional stops include communities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina. The full schedule is available at the OAR program website, JoinNSOAR.com.

The OAR safety train is composed of a 2,000-horsepower; 273-ton locomotive painted in honor of emergency responders; two boxcars converted into 30-seat classrooms; four styles of tank cars: DOT-105, DOT-111, DOT-112, and DOT-117; and two 89-foot flatcars used to transport intermodal containers.

Each four-hour training session includes classroom instruction and hands-on training inside a locomotive and on rail cars. The sessions are recommended for representatives of fire and law enforcement departments, emergency medical services and hazmat response teams, military and homeland security personnel, and railroad customers and suppliers.

“We’re committed to moving all materials on our railroad safely,” said John Irwin, Norfolk Southern assistant vice president safety and environmental. “Important components of our safety culture include building relationships with first responders in the 22 states where NS operates and providing in-person educational opportunities like the OAR train.”

NS is a 16-time national TRANSCAER Achievement Award winner. The award recognizes exceptional achievement in voluntary efforts by companies to help communities prepare for and safely respond to incidents involving transport of hazardous materials.

During 2016 Norfolk Southern provided training for about 5,600 emergency responders, government officials, and others in 18 states. The training included classroom seminars, hands-on sessions with rolling stock, table-top simulations, full-scale drills, and exercises at training centers operated by NS and the Association of American Railroads. Norfolk Southern also was instrumental in developing the AskRail™ mobile app, which provides real time rail information to first responders.

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

Media Inquiries:

Susan Terpay, 757-823-5204 (susan.terpay@nscorp.com)

Investor Inquiries:

Katie Cook, 757-629-2861 (katie.cook@nscorp.com)

http://www.norfolksouthern.com

A&A slide show and dinner

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The "2018 Erie Limited NER Convention"

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18 Months to the Erie Limited! Greetings! We may be 18 months away from hosting the Northeastern Regional convention in Mahwah, NJ, but September 2018 will be here before you know it! We have been making great progress on the plans for the Erie Limited convention since our last email to you in December. But, more work is still to be done!  Last December, we asked for help and some of you raised your hand. For those who did raise your hands, a mighty thank you! For those of you that did not, your help is still needed. Layout Tours Layout tours are a big part of any model railroad convention. We have already asked known layout owners to open their layouts for tours.  If you were not contacted and have a layout, will you open your layout for the Erie Limited? Remember, the convention is in September, 2018. This gives you plenty of time and an incentive to finish areas of your layout for viewing at the convention.   Clinics Giving a clinic is not as hard as you think! Take a topic you are passionate about. A topic you feel comfortable talking about among your friends. If you put your key points and some photos together in a PowerPoint presentation and practice presenting it, you are ready to be a star!  Convention Volunteer Every convention relies on volunteers to make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. These volunteers man the registration desk, monitor the contest and auction rooms, operate as audio/video technicians for the clinic rooms, and many other roles.   Non-Rail The geographic areas of our divisions are rich with cultural activities for our non-rail companions. Wineries, parks, shopping areas, culinary schools, and historic sites are some of the areas finest features. They are features that visitors from outside our divisions need to to see!  Do you have any suggestions that we can add to the list? If you or your companion wish to raise your hand and open your layout for tours, present a clinic, volunteer at the convention hotel, or assist with Non-Rail activities, contact Tom Wortmann. Tom is the Convention Chairman and he will make sure your raised hand is seen! Contact Tom at miskyrails@msn.com.

NMRA Garden State Division, 537 Malcolm Road, Union, NJ 07083