2011 NS Short Line Award Recipients

Norfolk Southern would like to announce the award winners from our 10th Annual Short Line Meeting held in Roanoke, VA on July 10-12, 2011. 

In celebration of our 10th year hosting our Short Line Meeting, we created a new award that will be given each year going forward.  The first railroad to receive our Short Line of the Year award was the Lehigh Railway.

The Pickens Railway received the General Manager’s Eastern Region, Piedmont Division award. They were selected because of the excellent service provided to Michelin.  They have worked with NS to improve service to this facility – and as a result – have the potential to realize additional growth this year.

Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad received the General Manager’s Eastern Region, Virginia Division award for their partnership with NS in serving some of our key customers – Perdue and the Norfolk International Terminal. The strong lines of communication has aided in eliminating train delay and improving customer satisfaction.

The Ashland Railway was selected as the winner for the General Manager’s Northern Region, Pittsburgh Division award.  A team effort between the Ashland Railway and NS - mostly due to the reliable service the ASRY provides at the interchange - allows for a consistent service schedule. The ASRY can also quickly adjust to accommodate unexpected schedule changes. This has helped provide seamless service to our customers.

Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad received the General Manager’s Northern Region, Lake Division award for working closely with NS to gain new business of unit grain trains from Thomaston IN to Camilla GA.  The CKIN improved the interchange location for handling unit grain trains and improved walkways for enhanced safety.   Communication on delivery and interchange of these trains is seamless and the cycle times are among the best.

The R J Corman Railroad received the General Manager’s Western Region, Central Division award for their efforts on the increased coal traffic at Oneida TN.

Sandersville Railroad was the recipient of the General Manager’s Western Region, Georgia Division award for their timely and consistent deliveries.

The Georgia & Florida Railroad received the General Manager’s Western Region, Georgia Division award for their very dependable handling of grain trains at Albany GA.

The Squaw Creek Southern was awarded the General Manager’s Western Region, Illinois Division plaque. They are an integral part of NS operations at the Yankeetown Docks and Alcoa Plant in Warrick County IN.  The SCS delivers coal to the Alcoa plant – and their timely delivery is vital to the aluminum plant’s operation.  The SCS also ensures rail to barge off loading in a safe, efficient and timely manner of the coal train for Peabody Coal.  They share NS’s safety vision – as they continue to work incident and injury free since 2000.

The Industrial Development Business Development Award recipient was the Pickens Railroad. They have worked very hard to assist in locating First Quality Tissue on their line in Anderson SC. 

The Maryland & Delaware Railroad received the Industrial Development – Business Development award for their work with NS to assist in expansion of Trigas Inc. - a propane distribution terminal in Williamsburg (Hurlock), MD.

The Coal Business Group – Business Development Award recipient was the Evansville & Western Railroad for working together on a new interchange at Mt. Vernon IL.   There is potential for additional coal traffic from EVWR origins to utility customers in the Southeast.  The EVWR is also working with the other Industrial Products teams to develop business that can be handled over this new interchange.

Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad received the Agriculture, Fertilizer & Consumer Products – Business Development award for working closely with NS to gain new business of unit grain trains from Thomaston IN to Camilla GA. 

The Automotive Group – Marketing Initiative Award went to the Providence & Worcester Railroad. In working with the PW, NS has gained access to Davisville, RI and the local port area which has provided another vehicle distribution facility for this area. 

The Lehigh Railway received the Chemical Group – Marketing Initiative Award for their recognition and development of an entirely new market for Marcellus Shale “Drill Cuttings” for rail transportation. These drill cuttings were traditionally transported by truck and disposed in local landfills. The LRWY recognized the need for alternate transportation and developed an innovative loading site and methods for handling the placarded material.

The Metals and Construction Group – Marketing Achievement Award for Most Innovative and Largest Volume Increase was awarded to Lehigh Railway for generating a large amount of new business with the construction of two Marcellus Shale inbound sand terminals at Wyalusing, PA and Wysox, PA. 

The Wellsboro and Corning Railroad received the award from the Metals and Construction Group – Marketing Achievement Award - Most Persistent.  The WCOR’s Wellsboro, PA frac sand facility is one of the leading NS Marcellus Shale terminals – due to WCOR’s marketing and operating diligence. 

The Paducah & Louisville Railroad was the recipient of the Metals and Construction Group – Marketing Achievement Award - Most Tenacious award. The PAL developed a new move of cement with Cemex to a site that Cemex closed several years ago. They invested some capital to convert this plant into a super terminal to distribute this product to receivers in the local area.     

Columbus & Greenville Railway received the Metals and Construction Group – Marketing Achievement Award - Most Customer Focused award.  The CAGY has worked tirelessly with Severstal to identify and bring new rail opportunities to NS for shipments of coil steel .

The Lycoming Valley Railroad received the Metals and Construction Group – Marketing Achievement Award - Most Customer Focused award.  The LVRR continues to play a pivotal role in assisting NS with securing pipe shipments to numerous destinations in PA (Montoursville and Williamsport) for the Marcellus Shale Project.

The following railroads pledged to increase carloads of new business during the past year with our 250² initiative. The Platinum awards are given for the roads that exceeded 1,000 carloads.  They are:

• Lehigh Railway
• Lycoming Valley Railroad
• Owego & Hartford Railway
• Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad
• Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad
• Ashland Railway
• Reading & Northern
• Livonia Avon & Lakeville Railroad

The Gold Award for 750 – 1,000 new carloads was awarded to:

• Finger Lakes Railway

The Silver Award for 501 – 750 new carloads went to:

• Carolina Coastal Railway
• Gettysburg & Northern Railroad
• Luzerne & Susquehanna Railway

The Bronze Award for 250 – 500 new carloads was awarded to:

• Yadkin Valley Railroad