NS drives down the summer spike

Safety is key to becoming the world's most customer-focused and successful transportation company. But as the mercury rises, accidents on the job tend to increase. In an effort to keep people safe, NS is taking to the rails on an informational hyrail caravan to help drive down the "summer spike."

"Summer brings insects, heat and other variables into the work place that usually aren't there," said Don Browning, manager, safety reporting and analysis. "In the summer months, it's easy to think of vacations and sometimes lose focus on what we are doing. The hyrail trip encourages people to stay focused and look out for their fellow workers. Summer injury rates have decreased 11 percent over the same period last year due to the hyrail program and other safety initiatives. We strive to raise awareness and improve long-term safety."

Climbing aboard hyrails, special trucks equipped with rail and highway wheels, the summer safety crews have visited more than 700 people in the field thus far during two hyrail caravans. During their trips on the Lake and Illinois divisions, each safety group was assigned four hyrails that took three separate routes before rendezvousing in one central area. In addition to handing out informational packets, the teams provide a forum for discussing safety and other issues within the company. At the conclusion of each trip, NS holds a safety breakfast or picnic that offers employees a chance to ask questions and express concerns with department heads aboard the caravan.

"We got a lot of positive feedback from the field. Everyone was upbeat, and we had the opportunity to let our co-workers know they're appreciated," said Jeff Sliger, Lake Division superintendent.

John Wagner, Western Region assistant general manager, said the trip gave NS the opportunity "to let our employees know that they are our number one concern and that we are concerned about safety from the top down. We answered questions and everyone seemed really excited about the new Thoroughbred Operating Plan."

Additional hyrail trips are scheduled for the Virginia Division in August.

START policy to cover all shop craft employees

Beginning September 1, Norfolk Southern will extend its System Teamwork and Responsibility Training (START) policy, designed to improve safety and service by addressing rules violations in a positive, educational manner, to all its shop craft employees. Both union and management representatives have pledged their cooperative support for the policy, which uses alternative training and education rather than formal hearings for minor and some serious offenses. It involves local chairmen in determining appropriate handling of rules violations. A joint labor-management oversight committee ensures consistent application of the policy.

"The START policy was designed to provide positive learning experiences, training and employee growth opportunities in a cooperative environment, and we are gratified that these unions have shown support for the policy," said Harold Mobley, assistant vice president labor relations. "We look forward to working with all our shop craft employees to focus on positive ways to improve performance and resolve issues together."

Gerhard Thelen, assistant vice president mechanical, echoed Mobley's sentiments. "START focuses on proactive methods such as training and counseling for minor rule violations and infractions," he said. "This learning process should prevent more serious problems in the future. Overall, it should be more effective then the current discipline policy."

The policy presently covers employees of the railroad represented by the United Transportation Union, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in the Communications and Signals Department.

"This extension of the START policy will undoubtedly continue to foster a more cooperative atmosphere between our members and union representatives on the one hand and management on the other," said IBEW General Chairman Cliff Meredith.

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers General Chairman Ray McMullen said, "This policy is an advance over the previous disciplinary system that will be welcomed by our membership. The old system was seen by many as basically punitive in nature; now the IAMAW, its membership and the carrier can consider more positive ways to deal with any mistakes."

"We welcome the opportunity for our members to participate in START," said J.V. Waller, General Chairman Brotherhood of Railway Carmen. "START will improve the handling of discipline for our members and will provide a positive mechanism for our union representatives and the company's management to work together to resolve issues."

Jim Nelson, General Chairman of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, said, "This policy will create a forum that will ensure that my members will be treated equitably when they are involved in the discipline process and may also enhance better relations between labor and management.

NCF&O General Chairman John Kilmer expressed the same feelings, as did representatives of the Transportation Workers Union, Sheet Metal Workers International Association and International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers who also have endorsed the new policy for their members.

The expansion of START to include employees represented by these organizations will bring approximately 5,000 additional union employees under coverage of the policy.

Three employees earn Thoroughbred Award

Three Norfolk Southern employees have earned the company's highest honor, the Thoroughbred Award, for their contributions to the company's long-term success.

Chuck Fike, manager utility North, Philadelphia, and Jerry R. Nassar, manager resource development, Pittsburgh, both of NS' coal business group, were honored for their work in developing a rail-to-truck coal transfer facility at Blairsville, in western Pennsylvania. For the first time, the new facility brought rail-originated coal to the Homer City Generating Station, one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the world.

John H. Schaal, national account manager for metals and construction, Pittsburgh, worked with transportation, service design and marketing personnel to develop a competitive new service package for a large producer of steel bars used in the automotive, agricultural, aerospace and other industries.

Both projects met specific customer service requirements while resulting in new carloads and revenues for NS.

"These individuals are examples of what innovative thinking, creative solutions and dedication to goals can do for our company," said David R. Goode, chairman, president and chief executive officer, in presenting the awards during a ceremony in Norfolk. "It is an honor to recognize these efforts that contribute to the top line, making our company stronger and more competitive."

Jerry Nassar, Chuck File (L) and John Schaal (R) with David R. Goode, chairman, president and chief exeuctive officer

DARS Jubilee celebrates recovery

Norfolk Southern's Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Services program celebrated recovery, family and success during its 26th Annual Jubilee June 21-23 in Pittsburgh. Employees and their families celebrated their mutual success in drug and alcohol recovery.

Keynote speakers included a carman who has been a DARS participant since 1983. He spoke to the audience on recovery and making positive changes through DARS. He described his progression from a multi-substance user with a relapse history to a restored, healthy worker who is active on his shop safety committee, bringing his positive ideals to the workplace. Other speakers included a locomotive engineer and a manager.

The DARS Jubilee also included a meeting that allowed attendees to share openly about their experiences, two breakfast meetings, an ice cream social and a banquet.

"I believe the Jubilee fulfilled its purpose of celebrating our recovery from addiction, showing that recovery can and should be fun, as well as the more serious side of being of benefit to individual health and quality of life, family life and furthering the safety and performance goals of the corporation," said Jack C. Scott, DARS manager. "In addition, we provided continuing support to one another by sharing our positive experiences to help sustain us as we go from here for another year."

Next year's Jubilee will be held June 20-22 in St. Louis.

DARS was founded in 1974 by Norfolk and Western Railway President John Fishwick, working with the late Pete Williams, a conductor and United Transportation Union general chairman. DARS is a voluntary program available to Norfolk Southern employees and their direct family members. For more information about the program, visit the company website at www.nscorp.com and click on employee resource center.

NS takes Operation Lifesaver
messages to its communities

Approximately every two hours, a vehicle or a pedestrian is struck by a train in the United States. Nearly 50 percent of highway-rail crossing crashes happen at crossings with active warning signals, such as flashing lights, bells and gates. In 2001, more than 1,100 people were seriously injured in highway-rail grade crossing collisions.

In an attempt to improve those statistics, Norfolk Southern launched its third annual Operation Lifesaver train May 16 in the Northern Region.

"Look, Listen, Live" was the theme of this year's train, which operated from the Cleveland Amtrak station to Fairlane Yard and back.

The 97 passengers included Ohio state Sen. Jeffry Armbruster, chairman of the state senate transportation committee; officials from the greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority; teachers; law enforcement officers and several mayors. They were introduced to the three E's of Operation Lifesaver -- education, enforcement and engineering -- and were given the opportunity to discuss and resolve some safety issues in their area.

"While aboard the train we discussed two specific issues -- rough crossings and approaches and malfunctioning signals -- and immediately attended to them," said Rick McIntyre, manager grade crossing safety for the Northern Region.

Passengers had the opportunity to see the importance of driver safety from the view of the train engineer. A video camera mounted on the front end of the locomotive allowed passengers to see everything as it happened on the tracks. With this perspective, passengers saw firsthand the dangers that many drivers put themselves into every day by disregarding posted advance warning signs and driving onto tracks as a train approaches.

"While observing the monitor, passengers saw a tractor-trailer break off a gate that was lowered, narrowly escaping being hit by the train," McIntyre said. "That incident heped them see firsthand how drivers often disregard warning devices."

Attending police officers participated in an "Officer on a Train" program, designed to watch for drivers who violate crossing laws. While the train passed through each community, officers watched for motorists who tried to "beat the train" and other violations. The officers then contacted patrolmen via radio who were inconspicuously parked at targeted crossings to apprehend, warn or cite violators.

"Operation Lifesaver has been a tremendously effective program not only in Ohio but throughout North America," said McIntyre. "Incidents are being reduced substantially due to the efforts of Ohio Operation Lifesaver state co-coordinator Shel Senek and all the Level I presenters who target high incident locations for quality results. These people are the grass roots of Operation Lifesaver. Without them, the program would not have the successful impact it does."

Operation Lifesaver is a national safety program founded in 1972 dedicated to ending collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way.

Employee Resource Center
puts information at your fingertips

Norfolk Southern's online Employee Resource Center (ERC) is now available to all NS employees from their home and work personal computers. Accessed through the company's Web site, www.nscorp.com, the secure site contains the latest NS news, information about benefits, payroll and more.

"The ERC is very different from the tools employees had before to update their personal information in NS Human Resources and payroll systems. In addition, employees can get a vast array of information about professional and personal development and employee benefits," said Chris Williams, director human resources. "We have also begun using the ERC to support Norfolk Southern's 'Forging our Future … Together' initiatives which include our diversity program and CareerTrack, our new promotion process."

With the ERC, employees have easy and secure access to their own payroll information. It gives them the ability to make instantaneous changes to items such as direct deposit and federal, state and local tax withholding. Most importantly, the ERC is available around-the-clock, at the employee's convenience.

"With its Internet access, the ERC is available when employees are, and through it they can have instant access to their personal data and can make changes easily." said Susan Stuart, director payroll. "We've received positive and enthusiastic response from employees regarding the ERC."

"I have taken a couple of the online training modules and plan on completing all of them. I feel this will benefit a lot of employees," wrote dispatcher trainee John Richardson.

"I have updated my payroll information," wrote locomotive engineer John Regan. "I was in the process of doing this via paper when you introduced the ERC, so I did it online. Super addition and easy to complete."

Charlie Higgins Jr., claim agent, reported "This was a great idea. Kudos to all involved."

Williams said many employees have made suggestions to enhance the ERC and those suggestions are taken seriously.

"The ERC is constantly evolving to meet employee needs. We continue to make enhancements that bring even more information and services to employees. I encourage everyone to sign on and see for themselves all ERC has to offer," he said.

Using ERC is easy

• Log on to www.nscorp.com
• Follow the Employee Resource Center links
• Click "Log In"
• Enter your RACF ID and mainframe password
• Remember to log out and close your browser when finished

If you encounter any problems, call Network Support Services at 529-1527 (microwave) or 1-800-525-2360 (Bell)