NS
NS in 2024 supported organizations throughout Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania with more than $300,000 in grants as part of its Safety First and Thriving Communities programs, the Class I railroad reported Dec. 18.
The grant programs, it said, go to local organizations “dedicated to fostering safe, sustainable operations, workforce development, and resilient communities” across NS’s 22-state network. Safety First grants advance community safety by funding organizations that provide safety services or promote safe behaviors within a community; Thriving Communities grants support sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience efforts.
NS in 2024 replaced outdated and damaged personal protective equipment for local fire departments and helped a separate fire department purchase a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) through Safety First grants. Additionally, the railroad helped fund a generator for a local municipal authority so it can serve the community as an emergency shelter; supported a mobile program providing children with basic necessities, mental health support, and positive role models; and invested in a program offering media literacy and entrepreneurship training for youth through Thriving Communities grants.
On Dec. 14, the holiday season came early for children throughout New York’s Capital Region, thanks to a collaboration between NS, Amtrak, railcar owners John Webb III of WebbRail and Bill Gray of Pullman, Inc., and Dunkin’ (see video above).
For the second consecutive year, this special holiday train carried Santa and more than 50 volunteers to deliver toys to children in need through the Capital Region’s Toys for Tots program. During the five stops, a total of 14,500 toys; 5,000 stocking stuffers; 600 boxes of cookies; 500 handmade fleece blankets; 250 Squishmallows; 300 coats, plus hats, gloves, and mittens; and two cases of high-end HO Scale trainsets were handed out. NS also contributed $100,000 to the Toys for Tots Foundation. Railroaders from NS’s Keystone Division helped run the train.
“Our work with Marine Toys for Tots is about more than delivering toys—it’s about connecting communities and showcasing what’s possible when the public and private sector come together to serve a greater purpose,” NS President and CEO Mark George said.
“We’re not just giving back to a community; we’re also supporting the places where our railroaders live and work,” noted Kristin Wong, Director, Norfolk Southern Foundation and Community Impact. “These are our neighbors, and by giving back, we’re investing in their well-being this holiday season.”
NS’s team of approximately 70 railroaders at the Conway Car Shop in Pennsylvania recently marked one million man-hours without a reportable injury, the railroad reported Dec. 20. That translates to more than seven years—2,743 days—of “safe, reliable service.”
The group has welcomed many new members over the years and has worked together to ensure everyone is prepared to operate safely from day one, according to Dominic Fandale, NS Director Mechanical Operations. “This team has done an excellent job of being each other’s keeper, bringing them up to speed and focusing on safety each day,” he noted.
“I am so proud of this team and their commitment to working safely each and every day,” NS Chief Mechanical Officer Brian Barr commented. “At NS, safety is a value that we apply to every decision we make. This accomplishment reflects our determination to live that value.”
CPKC
CPKC this month recognized 73 shippers with Safe Shipper Awards for safely transporting hazardous materials in 2023. Companies receiving the award transported at least 500 carloads of hazardous materials (non-intermodal) in 2023 with zero Non-Accidental Release (NAR) incidents, according to the railroad, which noted that a “hazardous materials NAR is the unintentional release of a hazardous material while in transportation, including loading and unloading while in railroad possession that is not caused by a derailment, collision or other rail-related accident.”
These are the first Safe Shipper Awards granted by CPKC as a combined company.
“At CPKC, we are committed to safety; these winners share in our commitment for the protection of the environment and the safety of our employees, customers and communities we operate in and through,” said Coby Bullard, CPKC Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “We are proud to highlight the 73 shippers for their achievements and commitment to safety.”
And the winners are:
- Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
- Afton Chemical
- Altagas Extraction & Transmission LP
- Arkema
- Aux Sable Liquid Products LP
- BASF
- Harvestone Low Carbon Partners
- Buckeye Partners LP
- Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP
- Celanese
- Cenovus Energy
- Centennial Energy LLC
- CF Industries
- Chemtrade Logistics Inc
- Dow Chemical
- Eagle Mine LLC
- LSB Chemical LLC
- ERCO Worldwide
- Evonik Corporation
- Factor Gas Liquid Inc
- Flint Hills Resources
- Gibson Energy Corp
- Global Companies LLC
- Grain Processing Corporation
- Greenfield Global Inc
- HF Sinclair Refining & Marketing LLC
- ICEC, H.J. Baker Sulphur Canada ULC
- HTP Energy
- Hunt Refining Co
- INEOS
- Inter Pipeline
- International Raw Materials Ltd
- Jefferson Railport Terminal II LLC
- Keyera Partnership
- Kiros Energy Marketing ULC
- Lotte Chemical Louisiana LLC
- Lyondellbasell
- Marathon Petroleum Company LP
- Martin Operating Partnership LP
- Maverick Petroleum
- Messer LLC
- Methanex Corporation
- Montana Resources
- Nevada Gold Mines LLC
- NGL Supply Company Ltd
- Nouryon Chemicals LLC
- Occidental Chemical Corp
- Olin Corporation
- OQ Chemicals Corp
- Orica
- Parkland
- PBF Energy Ltd
- Pembina Resources Services Canada
- Pieridae Alberta Production Ltd
- Poet Biorefining
- Ray Energy Corp
- Reagent Chemical & Research Inc
- Red River Energy
- Reliant Gases Ltd
- RPMG LLC
- Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC
- Shintech Inc
- Strathcona Resources Ltd
- Suncor Energy
- Superior Gas Liquids Partnership
- The Andersons Inc.
- US Development Group
- Vale Canada Ltd
- Valero Energy Inc
- Veolia
- Westlake
- Wildcat Midstream Ltd Partnership
- Williams Ohio Valley Midstream LLC
BNSF
“As we navigate through the busiest shipping season of the year, the BNSF and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. teams have continued to rise to the occasion to meet your freight needs,” the Class I railroad told customers in a Dec. 23 LinkedIn post. “In October, BNSF achieved record intermodal volumes, a testament to our growing capabilities and commitment to excellence, then ramped immediately into peak season. Throughout this time, we’ve maintained a door-to-door service rate of over 95% for our over-the-road converted traffic through Quantum, a J.B. Hunt and BNSF Service. This level of consistency is no small feat and highlights our unwavering focus on delivering reliable service to our customers when they need it most. A huge shoutout to our amazing team for their hard work and relentless pursuit of excellence. Your efforts ensure that we meet our customers’ needs with precision and care, even under the most demanding circumstances. Here’s to continuing our journey of growth and maintaining the high standards that set us apart in the industry. Thank you for your trust and partnership. We are committed to delivering consistent, top-notch service every step of the way.”
BNSF and J.B. Hunt in November 2023 announced the launch of Quantum to provide “the consistency, agility and speed needed to transport service-sensitive highway freight using rail.” They said that solutions are customized to each customer’s needs, considering service expectations, transit requirements and operational procedures.
The Quantum team is comprised of both J.B. Hunt and BNSF operators housed together at an Intermodal Innovation Center at BNSF headquarters in Fort Worth, Tex.
