Paul Heymann wins Thoroughbred Award

Paul Heymann, product manager construction, received Norfolk Southern's 2002 Thoroughbred Award. The award recognizes outstanding highly visible employee contributions that have long-term significant impact on NS' success.

Heymann worked closely with customers Berks Products and U.S. Silica, along with two connecting short lines, Winchester & Western Railroad in Bridgeton, N.J., and Reading Blue Mountain & Northern in Port Clinton, Pa., to move construction materials in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The unique move resulted in new business for NS and enabled the short lines to take trucks off the area's congested highways. Both short lines moved loaded cars in both directions and reduced some costs for their customers. They were honored by Railway Age magazine as short line and regional railroad of the year for 2002. Heymann nominated them.

David Goode presents the 2002 Thoroughbred Award to Paul Heymann, right.

Thirteen NS employees were nominated for the Thoroughbred Award. All were honored at a luncheon hosted by David Goode, chairman, president and chief executive officer, at NS headquarters in Norfolk.

"Each of our nominees represents the best in our company," Goode said. "They suggested how to make our company more successful. They also acted on their suggestions. That's the kind of thinking and action we need to remain competitive and to be the Thoroughbred of Transportation."

Jeff Yates, assistant vice president quality management, said, "Having such a large number of qualified people for this award says something very important about NS people. We are not only recognizing their accomplishments, but also how important it is for all NS employees to suggest new ideas and develop and execute ways to better serve our customers."

In addition to Heymann, Thoroughbred Award nominees for 2002 were: Bill Arrington, manager utility coal north; Chris Crawford, locomotive engineer; Ruth Cullison, senior claim agent; Carl Dillich III, manager intermodal budget and contracts; Chuck Fike, manager utility coal north; Jim Forrester, manager equipment and business development; H. Tom Finley, general shop superintendent, MW&S; Vicki L. Gay, manager intermodal traffic delivery; Andrea L. Just, manager internal communications, public relations; Randy L. McFarland, manager industrial coal marketing and business development; Jerry Nassar, manager resource development coal; and Hayden W. Newell, manager innovative research, research and tests.

Railroads urge more public-private partnerships

The nation's railroads urged Congress to support "public-private financing partnerships for railroad infrastructure improvement projects" to realize the public benefits that would come if more freight is moved by rail.

In testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Railroad Subcommittee, Edward R. Hamberger, president and chief executive officer of the Association of American Railroads, said greater use of rail can yield significant "public benefits, such as reduced congestion, cleaner air, improved safety and enhanced mobility."

But, he pointed out, financial markets will fund only those investments that "provide a reasonable promise of a direct economic benefit to the investing railroads."

The best method of achieving those public benefits, Hamberger said, is through "public-private partnerships" to provide a means for transportation planners and providers to effectively meet vital transportation needs by combining the efficiency of the private sector with the equity of public participation."

He cited a recently announced project in Chicago as "a model for cost-effective public-private partnerships. Railroads will pay for the benefits they receive from the project, while the government will pay for the public benefits that accrue from it."

The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 billion. Based on their expected benefits, freight railroads will put $212 million into the project, with the balance coming from public funds.

"The project is expected to produce a stream of hundreds of millions of dollars in public benefits just to the Chicago region," Hamberger said. "In addition, because of Chicago's critical importance as a national transportation hub, benefits of the project will ripple nationwide to every state," Hamberger said.

He was sharply critical of proposals to establish a rail trust fund to pay for rail infrastructure projects.

He noted the proposals call for most of the money to be raised from Class I railroads and rail customers. But the proceeds, he said, would be distributed by the government - "minus inevitable bureaucratic overhead."

Beyond this, "the pressure to use these funds to finance non-Class I projects - including passenger rail, highway-rail crossing traffic control devices or short line railroad infrastructure - would be tremendous," Hamberger said.

Taxes used to fund a rail trust fund also would increase the cost of shipping by rail, he added. "The net effect of this would be to needlessly divert rail traffic to trucks, with attendant negative ramifications for economic efficiency, congestion, the environment and safety."

The AAR's complete testimony can be found at www.aar.org.

AAR, ATA agree on federal truck size and weight laws

The Association of American Railroads and the American Trucking Associations have agreed to focus on common legislative and policy goals and not on truck weight and size laws. The following is excerpted from a joint statement:

"Recognizing this cooperation in serving our mutual customers, the ATA and the AAR believe it is essential that the two organizations also seek to focus their efforts on common legislative and policy goals in order to meet the challenges facing the entire U.S. freight network. For example, ATA and AAR joined with other organizations in a Freight Stakeholders Coalition to advance a common legislative agenda as Congress considers TEA-21 reauthorization proposals.

"In order to better focus efforts on common legislative and policy positions, ATA and AAR have agreed that their two organizations will support continuation of the existing federal statutory provisions concerning truck sizes and weights that were initially passed by Congress in the 1991 ISTEA legislation. Therefore, ATA and AAR will advocate and support making no changes to current federal truck size and weight laws in the TEA-21 reauthorization and will oppose proposals to modify the current federal provisions. This agreement is in force during the full period of the TEA-21 reauthorization, including both short-term extensions and interim reauthorizations.

"ATA and AAR believe that this agreement will position the trucking and rail industries to meet the future growing needs of their customers."

Quick response keeps cars moving for customer

The quick response of Norfolk Southern engineering and maintenance of way and structures employees averted a potential shutdown for an NS customer.

Buck Smith, track supervisor; Nathan Brown, assistant track supervisor; foremen Smokey Lairmore and Daryl Patterson; truck drivers Floyd Morton and Harold McNabb; Marvin Frisbie, machine operator; and laborers Lee Mackey and Chris Wright were commended by Jon Thorstenson, plant manager, Olin Chlor Alkali. The group helped the company at its Charleston, Tenn., plant after flooding damaged an inbound track and threatened to close plant operations.

Smith said the track is adjacent to the Hiawassee River. Severe storms flooded the area, causing the river to rise. The elevated water level caused the bank to give way at three places. Brown first spotted the damage during an inspection the crew routinely does after rain.

The response was immediate. Morton and McNabb drove dump trucks carrying stones used to support the slide areas. All of the men cut down and removed trees that fell on the track. Work was completed in two days.

Empty caustic cars were delivered because the plant was running out of them. Thorstenson said without the repairs and the new cars, the plant would have had to close down. Thorstenson applauded the crew's work under difficult conditions.

Smith said the team did its best to keep the customer's cars moving. "We work to respond as quickly as possible so we can provide the kind of service our customers expect from NS."

Short line partnerships bring growth opportunities

Short line and regional railroad partnerships were the focus of Norfolk Southern's annual short line meeting in Roanoke. Nearly 180 representatives from 173 short lines met with NS representatives from many departments.

"We focused on how we can achieve customer satisfaction and grow business for both short lines and NS," said John Kraemer, assistant vice president short line marketing. "It's very much a two-way process, and the more we understand each other's issues and processes, the more collective success we'll have."

NS has 241 short lines that connect to the rail system. To Kraemer, that brings even more opportunity.

"When you consider that we have a 21,500-mile system at NS and these short lines together add a network of about 19,000 miles, there's a lot of opportunity to grow the business," he said.

The two-day meeting included presentations about NS initiatives such as the Thoroughbred Operating Plan, Local Operating Plan Adherence, marketing, customer service and more. A trade show gave those attending the opportunity to learn more about various marketing groups, safety and environmental efforts, electronic commerce, customer service, industrial development, strategic planning, accounting and mechanical services. Short line representatives also were able to meet one-on-one with NS representatives to talk about specific issues and ideas.

"I've attended many meetings and conferences, but I really like the NS short line meeting best, because it is always a productive session and we can really get down to business," said Alan Maples of the Everett Railroad. "You can always count on a two-way open dialogue, which is critical to the relationship between NS and short lines."

"The breakout sessions were fruitful for us again," said David J. Monte Verde, president, GVT Rail Systems. "We identified an opportunity for NS' MODALGISTICS® group. As a direct response to our discussions in Roanoke, David Lawson, MODALGISTICS president, visited our property and was very impressed with the opportunities for growth that we can provide for MODALGISTICS for several different product lines. The growth opportunity is there. We just needed to get the tap turned on."

That spirit of cooperation was echoed by Rich Timmons, president of the American Short Line and Regional Rail Association.

"Of special note was the commitment from NS to initiate a new year-over-year program to work with the short line association to attack common issues and problems in a deliberate and scientific manner during the upcoming year. Everyone stands to benefit from such a cooperative and coordinated approach," Timmons said.

NS marketing groups recognized seven short lines for helping secure new business. They were the Lancaster & Chester, Georgia Central, Camp Chase Industrial, Sandersville and Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroads, plus Illinois Railnet and the Central Railroad Company of Indiana.

"These relationships have an enormous impact on our business," Kraemer said. "As we build understanding and knowledge of each other's business, we are able to see where we can work together to bring in new business for all of us. It's the core of our strategy in creating successful partnerships."

Roanoke museum celebrates the return of a classic

The 1218, the last Norfolk and Western Class A steam locomotive, came home to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke in a ceremony June 14. The date marked the 60th anniversary of the construction of the locomotive.

The 1218 is one of 43 Class A steam locomotives built by Norfolk and Western. During its service, it could pull a 150-car coal train. NW retired its steam locomotives in 1959. The 1218 returned to service in the 1980s as part of Norfolk Southern's steam excursion program.

The locomotive had been housed in Roanoke's East End paint shop since 1995. Museum staff and volunteers worked there for two years to prepare the 1218 to return to public view. The museum raised more than $30,000 to refurbish the locomotive.

The locomotive is on permanent display next to the streamlined Class J 611, another treasured Roanoke-built locomotive. A plaque acknowledges contributions made by NS, the city of Roanoke and others to the renovation of the 1218.

David Goode, NS chairman, president and chief executive officer, was among the speakers at a special reception. He spoke of two railroad pioneers, Robert Claytor, NS' first chief executive officer; and Claytor's brother Graham, former president of Southern Railway and later Amtrak. The museum's exhibition pavilion is dedicated to the Claytors. "No family has ever had more of an impact on railroads," he said.

A record-breaking 1,200 people visited the museum for the festivities. The NS Exhibit Car and the locomotive simulator were among the displays and activities. Former steam locomotive engineers talked about working on the 1218 and the 611. The Buckingham Lining Bar Gang performed work songs from the days when crews aligned and maintained track manually.

Members of the African-American Railroad Heritage program also were at the museum talking about their work on the railroad. They served apple pie made from a recipe similar to the kind served on passenger dining cars.

NS corporate ID cards enhance security

Norfolk Southern will begin issuing corporate photo identification cards to its 28,500 active employees in July. The move was spurred by a greater emphasis on security for NS employees and properties. Once issued, the cards must be carried by employees when on duty or when traveling on the company's behalf.

"We want everyone on our property, and those entering customers' properties, to be easily identified as NS employees," said Steve Hanes, director NS police. "It's vital to our safety and security."

Each card features the photo and employee identification number of the employee.

Cards are being issued through the NS police department and ID card administrators within each operating division. There are 16 sites, including each division headquarters, the McDonough, Ga., training center, the company's headquarters in Norfolk, Atlanta and Roanoke. Identification cards for operating division employees will be issued at that division's headquarters. For those at locations remote from division headquarters, NS police will arrange travel to remote sites by request. Supervisors can call the NS Police Department at 540-981-5410.

Employees have to show proof of their employee identification numbers to obtain an identification card. The most common form is a paycheck advisory that includes a person's employee identification number or a printout from the online Employee Resource Center. Other acceptable forms of identification must be consistent with the Immigration and Naturalization Service's requirements and may include a driver's license, passport and other accepted forms of identification as listed within Corporate Procedure 324.1.

"We want to make sure our people are safer in their workplace, and we want to help our customers be more comfortable knowing exactly who is on their property at any time," Hanes said. "Everyone wins in this situation."

Lawmen help make wishes come true

Norfolk Southern's Lawmen traveled to Pittsburgh to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For the fourth consecutive year, the band provided entertainment at a fund-raiser for the organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

"It is a very rewarding experience to see the smiles of children when they find out their wish will be granted," said Stan West, the group's manager. "This year, we were able to raise enough money for four children to have their wishes granted."

West said the band has helped the Pennsylvania chapter raise more than $40,000.

The Lawmen performed with country music singer Jessica Welch in Norfolk in July. The band also will perform for the 100th anniversary of the writing of the song, "The Wreck of the Old '97" in Danville, Va., in September.