Projects on or near NS Property

PROJECTS ON NS PROPERTY

Norfolk Southern offers unique business opportunities for fiber optic installation across our 22-state network as well as pipe and wire licensing options along 19,500 miles of railroad rights of way.

 

OBTAIN PIPELINE & WIRELINE LICENSES AND MAINTENANCE RIGHT OF ENTRY

RailPros, a firm that provides engineering and construction services for rail and transit, manages all Pipeline and Wireline permitting requests for Norfolk Southern. All permitting requests must be submitted through RailPros’ online permit management system. The cloud-based right-of-way management software allows applicants to upload attachments, send messages, obtain real-time status updates, execute agreements, pay application fees, and coordinate required field services.

 

APPLY ONLINE

***PLEASE NO PAPER OR EMAIL APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS***

To prepare your application and develop your project, refer to the links below for helpful resources:  

 

Questions? Email RailPros staff at NS.Permitting@RailPros.com

 

OUR SCHEDULE OF FEES

Starting April 1, 2023, NS added several new fees to our Pipe and Wire program. They include:

  • A $500 fee for each review required after the second review. The initial review and second review are included in the initial application fee.

  • A Variance Request Fee of $3,500 for all occupancy types. The applicant will be notified after the first review if a variance is required for project approval. The applicant can then decide to pay the fee and proceed with the plan as originally submitted, or they can revise the plan to avoid requesting a variance.  

  • A Longitudinal Review Fee of $3,500 for review of longitudinal or parallel occupancies.

A complete schedule of feesDownload Pipe and Wire Program Fees 
For additional information, please contact us at  NS.Permitting@RailPros.com.

 

INSTALL FIBER OPTICS ALONG NS RIGHTS OF WAY 

NS subsidiary T-Cubed, Thoroughbred Technology and Telecommunications, offers infrastructure for telecommunication projects along 19,500 miles of rights of way. This includes fiber optics and wireless arrays installation on 375 existing microwave towers.

With a 22-state network, T-Cubed can help you connect major metropolitan areas, regional centers, and small localities.

For more information, contact T-Cubed.

 

RISK FEE FINANCING AVAILABLE 

In some situations, Norfolk Southern offers the option for a participant to pay a Risk Fee for a project in lieu of obtaining a commercial Railroad Protective Liability (RPL) policy. The Risk Fee enables Norfolk Southern to add the associated project to its Master RPL policy.

The $1,900 fee is well below the minimum premium of $2,500 for a typical commercial RPL policy, representing a significant value to Norfolk Southern’s Pipe and Wire business partners. It can be purchased through the online permitting portal.

For more information, contact NS.Permitting@RailPros.com.
 

SAFELY ACCESS NS PROPERTY

At Norfolk Southern, everything starts with safety. Nothing is more important to us than ensuring the safety of our employees, members of the communities where we operate, and individuals granted permission to enter railroad property.

If you require access to Norfolk Southern property or right-of-way to perform work, you must submit an application to secure railroad approval. Verbal authorization is not valid. 

Entry onto railroad property may require the presence of a flagman. Any inquiries regarding flagging should be sent to NS.Coordinator@RailPros.com.

 

TWO RIGHT OF ENTRY CATEGORIES

Norfolk Southern recognizes two right-of-entry categories: a Non-Environmental Right of Entry and an Environmental Right of Entry. Examples of work for a Non-Environmental Right of Entry include non-intrusive surveys, soil sampling not for environmental purposes, temporary access for work adjacent to NS property, minor maintenance and inspection of existing public structures such as bridges and roadways, and resurfacing of grade crossings that don’t change the crossing’s physical footprint.

 

NON-ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT OF ENTRY

Download Instructions

Apply Online

 

ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT OF ENTRY

Download Instructions

Apply Online

 

 

RIGHT OF ENTRY FAQs

First, take a look through the types of property services the railroad offers. Look at the application forms to see the process involved in entering into a business relationship with NS. If you have further questions about a specific property and have identified NS ownership of the property, contact the appropriate property agent for the territory to discuss your interests further. Any property "previews" must be done with the accompaniment of an NS employee.

Complete the Right of Entry located on the Access NS Property page.

For employee and public safety, NS' goal is to remove highway-rail grade crossings where practical. NS opposes establishing new crossings. 

NS, U.S. DOT, and state agencies encourage parties to eliminate crossings by constructing bridges and by diverting traffic to existing overhead, subgrade, and at-grade crossings. Consider alternatives before submitting a private road crossing application.

If you seek an agreement for an existing crossing, fill out the private road crossing application.

For inquiries on new crossings, e-mail privatexing@nscorp.com

Safety of our employees, of individuals in the communities in which we operate, and individuals granted permission to enter railroad property, is our priority.  If you require access to NS property to perform work, you must submit an application to secure railroad approval.  Verbal authorization is not valid.

Entry onto railroad property may require the presence of a flagman.  Any inquiries regarding flagging should be sent to NS.Coordinator@RailPros.com.

Access for those uses is not permitted by Norfolk Southern.

If you have an existing license with Norfolk Southern and desire to perform maintenance and repair work, please apply under the Pipe and Wire permit application at https://ns.railprospermitting.com. You will need to have a copy of your license agreement for the application review.

Since 1894, Norfolk Southern’s Industrial Development team has helped companies, large and small, find the right site to successfully grow their businesses and serve their customers. Today, we have Industrial Development Managers and technical experts located throughout our 22 state service area, ensuring that your site location and track construction needs will always be addressed promptly by someone familiar with the territory.  From the first conversation about your project to the arrival of your first railcar, Norfolk Southern’s Industrial Development team is with you every step of the way.

Contact our Industrial Development Team

Contact the appropriate Property Manager responsible for your area.

View the Safety Requirements page.

Access for this use is not permitted by Norfolk Southern.