Facebook page that colorizes old photos.

received via email thought you would enjoy.

Facebook page that colorizes old photos.

https://www.facebook.com/imbuedwithhues/photos/a.204044813096947.1073741827.204043959763699/709741289193961/?type=3

1936 Illinois Central "Green Diamond" at the Milwaukee Road depot on 5th and Clybourn in Milwaukee, WI.

Imbued with Hues original

Easter Bunny train ride and egg hunt

Dear Jan, 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 ON SALE SOON 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 ON SALE SOON! 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 SafeUnsubscribe™ jan@biglittle.com

Penn Central Slide Show - This Friday Feb. 10, 2017

Greetings! Invitation: Penn Central Slide Show -  This Friday Feb. 10, 2017   We have received the following from  New York Society of Model Engineers in Carlstadt.  Garden State Division members are invited. The Society will be sponsoring another in their series of Slide Shows. Noted rail historian and photographer Richard Taylor will be the featured speaker and he will present a slide show about the Penn Central.  The slide show will focus on PC's operations in North Jersey. The slide shows presented by NYSME are fabulous. Noted for attracting people who have been there - worked there. Besides Rich Taylor's commentary, there is always a lot of audience feedback. This one on the Penn Central looks to be a great event.  If you model Penn Central, they ask you bring something  for a "Show and Tell" session.  Penn Central Slide Show  presented by the New York Society of Model Engineers Location: Rutherford Ambulance Corp Meeting Room 44 Ames Ave. Rutherford,   NJ 07070 Doors open at 7:30 One block from Rutherford Train StationAs always, this is a FREE event Coffee and donuts will be served. Donations will be accepted to cover cost! See: Facebook events link below for additional details. https://www.facebook.com/events/1266574393407580/ Feel free to pass this on to your friends +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Save the Date the  GSD Winter Meet  March 4th, 2017 9:00 am Start Location The Model Railroad Club  295 Jefferson Ave. Union, NJ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Announcement The Garden State Division has a new presence on  Facebook with a new and improved page See :  https://www.facebook.com/nmragsd/ And like us to stay up to date on Division activities. Andy Brusgard, e-mail clerk Garden State Division - National Model Railroad Assoc  Garden State Division National Model Railroad Assoc. http://www.nergsd.com  Contact@nergsd.com

Norfolk Southern facilitated $4.0 billion in industrial investment along rail lines in 2016

received via email

Norfolk Southern facilitated $4.0 billion in industrial investment along rail lines in 2016

NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 26, 2017 – Norfolk Southern assisted 71 industries in locating or expanding their businesses along its rail lines in 2016.

The 58 new and 13 expanded industries represent an investment of $4.0 billion by Norfolk Southern customers and are expected to create more than 4,600 new jobs in the railroad's service area, generating more than 50,000 carloads of new rail traffic annually.

“We were pleased to see a steady stream of manufacturing projects and a markedly stronger portfolio overall near the end of the year, and that is an encouraging indicator for activity in the coming year,” said Jason Reiner, assistant vice president industrial development. “Sixteen manufacturing-related projects contributed nearly $2 billion in new investment by customers and 3,000 new jobs during 2016.”

Norfolk Southern works with state and local economic development authorities on projects involving site location and development of infrastructure to connect customers to its rail system and provides free and confidential facility location services, including industrial park planning, site layout, track design, and supply chain analysis. During the past 10 years, NS’ Industrial Development Department has participated in the location or expansion of 945 facilities representing an investment of over $60 billion and creating more than 43,000 direct new customer jobs in the territory served by the railroad.

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 20,000 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.

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that may be identified by the use of words like “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “consider,” “project,” and similar references to the future. Forward-looking statements reflect our good-faith evaluation of information currently available. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and our actual results may differ materially from those projected. Please refer to our annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC for a full discussion of those risks and uncertainties we view as most important. Forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as, a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at or by which any such performance or results will be achieved. As a result, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.

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

Norfolk Southern reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 results

Received via  email

Norfolk Southern reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 results

Achieves record operating ratio of 68.9 percent for the year

NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 25, 2017 – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today reported fourth-quarter and 2016 financial results.

Net income for the quarter was $416 million, a 15 percent increase compared with $361 million during the same period of 2015. Diluted earnings per share were $1.42, up 18 percent compared with $1.20 diluted earnings per share in the fourth quarter last year. Norfolk Southern announced Tuesday that it increased its quarterly dividend to $0.61 per share, reflecting a 2 cent, or 3 percent, increase over the previous quarter’s dividend.

For 2016, net income was $1.7 billion, up 7 percent compared with $1.6 billion in 2015. Diluted earnings per share increased 10 percent to $5.62 compared with $5.10 per diluted share in the prior year. Results for 2015 included restructuring expenses that reduced fourth-quarter 2015 net income by $31 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, and lowered 2015 net income by $58 million, or $0.19 per diluted share for the full year.

“2016 was a pivotal year as Norfolk Southern began implementing its new Strategic Plan. We delivered $250 million of productivity savings and recorded our best ever operating ratio, notwithstanding challenging business conditions,” said James A. Squires, Norfolk Southern chairman, president and CEO. “With the dedication and support of Norfolk Southern’s talented employees, we improved service for customers while positioning the company for further growth in 2017 and beyond. We are poised to continue building on our success and deliver an additional $100 million of productivity savings in 2017 on the way to our goal of $650 million of annual savings by 2020. We remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering superior shareholder value through the execution of our Strategic Plan.”

FOURTH-QUARTER SUMMARY

·         Railway operating revenues of $2.5 billion declined 1 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2015, reflecting lower merchandise and coal traffic volume, as well as reduced fuel surcharges. These declines were offset in part by intermodal volume growth that eclipsed the effects of the 2015 Triple Crown restructuring.

·         General merchandise revenues were $1.5 billion, 1 percent lower than the same period last year. Volume was 3% lower overall, as growth in steel and agriculture was offset by declines in energy markets, vehicles, and paper and forest products. Norfolk Southern’s five merchandise commodity groups reported the following year-over-year revenue results:

§  Agriculture: $399 million, up 4 percent

§  Chemicals: $395 million, down 7 percent

§  Metals/Construction: $296 million, up 6 percent

§  Automotive: $237 million, down 5 percent

§  Paper/Forest: $177 million, down 5 percent

• Intermodal revenues increased to $583 million, a 4 percent gain compared with fourth-quarter 2015. Volumes increased 7 percent, with growth in domestic and international traffic offsetting the Triple Crown restructuring.

• Coal revenues declined 7 percent to $403 million compared with fourth-quarter 2015. Volume fell 4 percent with an increase in export coal softening the decline in the utility market.

• Railway operating expenses declined $147 million, or 8 percent, to $1.7 billion compared with same period last year due to targeted expense reductions and the absence of last year’s restructuring costs.

• Income from railway operations was $761 million, an increase of 19 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2015.

 

• The composite service metric, which measures train performance, terminal operations, and operating plan adherence, was 80 percent, a 200 basis point improvement compared with 78 percent in the same quarter last year.

• The railway operating ratio, or operating expenses as a percentage of revenues, was 69.4 percent, a 510 basis point improvement compared with 74.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015.

2016 SUMMARY

• Railway operating revenues were $9.9 billion, 6 percent lower compared with 2015. The decrease was driven by a 3 percent volume decline due to reductions in energy-related markets and the Triple Crown restructuring, as well as reduced fuel surcharges.

• General merchandise revenues were $6.2 billion, a 2 percent decrease compared with the prior year. Volume declined 2 percent, primarily due to reduced demand in energy markets, and fuel surcharges were lower.

 

• Intermodal revenues totaled $2.2 billion, 8 percent lower compared with 2015, reflecting the Triple Crown restructuring, as well as reduced fuel surcharges. International and domestic growth more than offset the volume decline from the Triple Crown restructuring. 

 

• Coal revenues were $1.5 billion, down 18 percent year-over-year. Reduced utility volumes combined with a weak global export market lowered total volume by 16 percent.

 

• Railway operating expenses declined $813 million, or 11 percent, to $6.8 billion primarily due to targeted expense reduction initiatives, lower fuel expenses, the absence of last year’s restructuring cost, and service improvements.

• Income from railway operations was $3.1 billion, a 7 percent increase compared with the previous year.

 

• The composite service metric was 80 percent, an 800 basis point improvement compared with 72 percent last year.

• The operating ratio for the year was a record 68.9 percent, a 370 basis point improvement compared with 72.6 percent in the prior year.

For 2017, Norfolk Southern plans to invest $1.9 billion to maintain the safety of its rail network, enhance service, improve operational efficiency, and support growth opportunities, which is consistent with Norfolk Southern’s total capital investment of $1.9 billion in 2016.

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 20,000 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:

Frank Brown, 757-629-2710 (fsbrown@nscorp.com)

Investor Inquiries:

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

http://www.norfolksouthern.com

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Norfolk Southern names six to vice president responsibilities

Received via email

NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 24, 2017 – The board of directors of Norfolk Southern Corporation has named six people to new positions and duties, announced James A. Squires, chairman, president, and chief executive officer.

Effective Feb. 1:

·         Thomas G. Werner is vice president corporate communications and chief sustainability officer, Norfolk.

·         C.H. “Jake” Allison, Jr., is vice president and treasurer, Norfolk.

·         Susan S. Stuart is vice president audit and compliance, Atlanta.

·         Bruno Maestri is vice president government relations, Washington.

Effective Mar. 1:

·         Jerry W. Hall is vice president mechanical, Atlanta.

·         Karol R. Lawrence is vice president network and service management, Atlanta.

“Today’s appointments reflect the deep strength and versatility of the Norfolk Southern management team,” Squires said. “Our owners, customers, and communities can have every confidence that their interests always will be first and foremost with these experienced railroad leaders.”

Werner joined Norfolk Southern in 1999 as director IT program management. He served in positions of increasing responsibility in the information technology department before being named vice president information technology in 2007. He was named vice president and treasurer, his most recent position, in 2013. Werner holds degrees from Princeton and University of Pennsylvania.

Allison joined Norfolk Southern in 1993 as manager audits. He served in audit and compliance, sourcing, and accounting positions before being named vice president and controller in 2009. He was named vice president audit and compliance, his most recent position, in 2013. Allison holds a degree from Virginia Tech.

Stuart joined Norfolk Southern in 1985 as an information technology developer. She served in information technology and accounting positions before being named assistant vice president accounting operations, her most recent position, in 2008. Stuart holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. In 2014, she completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Maestri joined NS in 1995 and served in positions relating to environmental management and protection, and then public affairs, before being named vice president government relations and corporate communications in 2005. He was named vice president government relations, corporate communications, and corporate sustainability officer, his most recent position, in 2015. Maestri holds degrees from the University of Virginia.

Hall joined Norfolk Southern in 1985 as a management trainee. He served in a wide range of transportation positions before being named vice president intermodal operations in 2013, and vice president network and service management, his most recent position, also in 2013. Hall holds a degree from the University of Alabama. In 2016, he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Lawrence joined Norfolk Southern in 2001 as director program management office. She served in planning and technology and strategic planning positions before being named assistant vice president information technology, her most recent position, in 2006. Lawrence holds degrees from Susquehanna University and Villanova University. In 2015, she completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. 

Squires also announced the retirement of two Norfolk Southern executives.

·         Donald D. Graab, vice president mechanical, Atlanta, retires after 39 years’ service.

·         Frank S. Brown, assistant vice president corporate communications, Norfolk, retires after 38 years’ service.

“We thank Don and Frank for their contributions and dedication -- in the best Thoroughbred tradition -- to Norfolk Southern and those whom we serve,” Squires said.

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 20,000 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:

Frank Brown, 757-629-2710 (fsbrown@nscorp.com)

Investor Inquiries:

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

http://www.norfolksouthern.com

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