NS
NS on Nov. 11 reported reaching a five-year collective bargaining agreement with BRS, covering nearly 970 union members. The agreement provides for an 18.8% compounded wage increase over the next five years; offers railroaders more paid vacation earlier in their career; “makes impactful enhancements to an already robust suite of health and welfare benefits”; and offers several “local work-rule enhancements, providing improved travel-expense reimbursement and more flexible scheduling for signal construction,” according to the Class I railroad.
“BRS and NS have established a positive working relationship through the collective efforts of our safety collaboration programs,” BRS President Michael Baldwin said. “We’ve built on this relationship to drive progress at the bargaining table, allowing the parties to reach wage, health care, and work-rule changes that address the items most important to our members.”
“Our railroaders are the backbone of Norfolk Southern, and I appreciate the collaboration with BRS on behalf of our signal employees,” NS President and CEO Mark George said. “Their expertise and dedication ensure our operations remain safe, fluid and efficient—day in and day out. This agreement brings us closer to completing our full slate of ratified union contracts, a milestone that underscores our deep commitment to our people and their future.”
With the BRS agreement, NS said it has reached ratified agreements with 12 of its 13 unions; a tentative agreement is pending ratification by the remaining union.
“This round of national bargaining has been unlike any in recent history,” BRS reported Nov. 11. “In September 2023, all Class I railroads opened negotiations directly with the 13 rail unions. Some carriers continued to bargain individually with the BRS while others, including NS, shifted their authority to the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC). Although carriers may take differing approaches, the BRS has remained the recognized bargaining representative for the signal craft under the Railway Labor Act. Pursuant to the BRS Constitution, affected members maintain the right to vote on agreements. For the first time in decades, the BRS was able to address local work rules within the broader national bargaining context. Historically, many railroads avoided these discussions by citing moratoriums or deferring to the NCCC. This year, those barriers did not stand in the way of progress. Previously, separate ratification ballots were held for members covered under BRS and NCCC bargaining. NS subsequently withdrew its proxy from the coalition. The BRS’s responsibility to its members remains unchanged, and the results of the NS ballot—where members approved the agreement by a decisive margin, will be ratified.”
CSX
CSX on Nov. 12 reported that the 365-acre Westgate Super Site in Alabama has been designated as a Platinum CSX Select Site.
Select Sites are development-ready properties along the CSX network “where standard land use considerations and comprehensive due diligence items have been previously addressed,” according to the railroad, which established its Select Site program in 2012 “to better serve new and existing customers on its network and those of its short line partners.” CSX works with Austin Consulting to screen candidate sites and assist communities with the application and certification process. These properties can meet the needs of a wide variety of manufacturers, CSX said, “significantly reducing the time required to construct industrial facilities and ultimately bringing products to market.” A Platinum designation is given to those that meet “a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, air quality permitting, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes,” according to CSX.
The Westgate Super Site is the fifth site in Alabama to have received the Platinum CSX Select Site designation, and one of 33 properties across the CSX network to receive it over the program’s history.
“Achieving Platinum CSX Select Site status is a tremendous milestone for Dothan and the State of Alabama,” said CSX Vice President of Real Estate and Industrial Development Christina Bottomley, one Railway Age’s Women in Rail Award honorees for 2025. “This region continues to emerge as one of the most competitive manufacturing corridors in the country—and the Westgate Super Site is now positioned to attract the kind of high-value industrial investment that strengthens domestic supply chains, creates quality jobs, and accelerates long-term economic growth.”
“It is uncommon to find such a large, attractive greenfield industrial site, which is both adjacent to the railroad right-of-way and within the city limits,” added Jonathan Gemmen, Senior Director at Austin Consulting. “The site is a gem.”
“We sincerely appreciate CSX for recognizing the potential of this site and for their partnership in helping us reach this important milestone,” Dothan, Ala. Mayor Mark Saliba said.
“This site will have a generational impact—bringing new opportunities, quality jobs, and lasting economic growth that will benefit families and businesses across our community for decades to come,” noted Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe.
Earlier this year, CSX added 18 properties across 12 states to its CSX Select Site program. There are approximately 60 properties currently on the roster.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the 83rd running of the CSX Santa Train on Nov. 22, 2025, the Class I railroad’s employees in Jacksonville, Fla., packed more than 5,000 backpacks and toys to distribute to neighbors in need in 13 communities in Appalachia.
Along a 110-mile route spanning from Shelbiana, Ky., to Kingsport, Tenn., the Santa Train each year spreads holiday cheer and delivers toys, gifts, and winter essentials to thousands of families, according to CSX.
The tradition, begun in 1943, took on even greater meaning last year, as the train served a region recovering from devastating storms.
“CSX’s roots run deep in Appalachia,” according to the railroad. “After flooding from Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented devastation in Erwin, Tenn., the ONE CSX team knew our neighbors needed something special to raise their spirits. Our CSX Holiday Express event [in 2024], hosted as the preamble to the The Santa Train, brought heartfelt support and joyful fun to the residents of Erwin as we celebrated the resilience of this community [see video above].”
CSX’s 20th heritage locomotive, the Clinchfield #1902, led the 2024 Santa Train.
In related news, Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s 2025 Holiday Train kicks off Nov. 19 in Montreal, Quebec. Now in its 27th year, the Holiday Train raises money and collects food across CPKC‘s network in Canada and the U.S. “supporting community food banks and making a real difference for families in need.”
Separately, CSX recently reported being named to Florida’s Best Employers list by Forbes and teaming with Watco to deliver growth and value.
UP
Nearly 50 firefighters, law enforcement, and military personnel in Fort Bliss, Tex., recently participated in UP’s hands-on “Railroad 101” program that covered how to identify hazardous materials, read railcar markings, and follow emergency recovery procedures, the Class I railroad reported Nov. 11.
UP offers the program networkwide to help first responders improve safety awareness and emergency readiness. This Fort Bliss session, it said, is part of a broader investment that trained more than 6,000 emergency personnel in 2024 alone.
“Railroad 101 training has significantly enhanced our operational readiness and safety awareness regarding railroad incidents,” said Sergio Sosa, Assistant Chief of Training for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Department of the Army. “The department is better prepared to mitigate potential hazards and minimize risks to personnel and the public.”
“I want our participants to feel confident that they have the support and knowledge to respond to any type of incident related to the rail industry,” UP Manager-Hazardous Materials Raymundo Vasquez said. “Fostering relationships with our first responders and community leaders creates a sense of unity through a shared purpose.”
“We train thousands of responders annually,” added Robert Bavier, Senior Director-Hazardous Materials. “I’m very proud of Ray and the entire team.”
Separately, UP recently recognized 16 customers and suppliers “for innovative sustainability initiatives,” and the railroad’s employees this fall raised $690,000 for the United Way.
