NS
“Across our 22-state network, more than 2,600 employees in our Mechanical Department completed over 450,000 working hours without a single reportable injury in May,” NS reported via social media on June 6.
This is a “reflection of the team’s commitment to the value of Safety, their professionalism, and excellence in execution,” according to the railroad, which noted that the railroaders’ work involves car and locomotive inspections, repairs, and direct support to train crews managing main line operations and resolving line-of-road delays.
“This achievement represents a culture of accountability, proactive communication, and the power of speaking up,” added VP Mechanical Brian Barr in the announcement. “With Safety as our core value, we are committed to protecting each other and striving for continuous improvement across our railroad. To every member of the Mechanical team, thank you for your diligence, focus, and dedication.
For more NS news, read: How Norfolk Southern Keeps Goods Moving Through Hurricane Season and Mongeau Resigns as NS Board Chair.
UP
Recently recognized for five years of injury-free service was UP’s 13-member Engineering team in Del Rio, Tex. The Class I reported via social media that the railroaders’ maintain its southwest Texas track ‘[a]mid extreme summer heat and frigid winter conditions.”
“They’ve maintained a team focus on safety, having the Courage to Care to stop the line and look out for each other,” UP Manager-Track Maintenance Hector Ponce said as part of the June 6 announcement. “They stay together and help one another—creating a positive environment.”
For more UP news, read: Watch: De Soto Car Shop Sets the Standard, Wins UP’s Top Mechanical Honor and Watch: CSX, UP Advance Alternative-Power Locomotive Projects.
CSX
“Although 2025 began with lower metrics, CSX’s unwavering focus on improvement allowed the company to rebound in May, demonstrating the resilience and determination of the company’s Operations team,” CSX reported June 5. Trip plan compliance performance—defined by the railroad as its “ability to meet end-to-end commitments for moving customer shipments”—reached 82.5% last month, representing “the highest monthly performance since December 2024, when compliance peaked at 82.7%,” according to the railroad.
Over the past year, CSX said it “has faced a range of challenges” that affected service metrics. Infrastructure projects—including a rebuild of the Blue Ridge Subdivision following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, and work on the Howard Street Tunnel reconstruction—“temporarily slowed network operations, it noted. “Compounding these issues were ongoing weather disruptions, which further tested the network’s resilience.”
The railroad said it is making “a concerted effort to enhance service performance and support customer needs.” Among the initiatives it has implemented in recent months:
- “Additional Locomotive Resources. CSX reintroduced 45 locomotives from storage and commissioned 20 additional rebuilds in April. These enhancements are strengthening fleet capacity and ensuring smoother operations across the network.
- “Revised Engineering Curfews. By adjusting engineering curfew schedules to align with natural train windows, CSX minimized the impact of maintenance work on daily operations, improving overall service flow.
- “Optimizing Car Fleets. The team removed 800 cars from Maintenance-of-Way service and placed another 1,200 cars, primarily hoppers and intermodal equipment, into storage. This effort allowed CSX to redirect essential assets back into the network and keep operations nimble. Additionally, cars were actively pushed offline and to customers to streamline the supply chain.
- “Employee Availability and Utilization. CSX established temporary transfers at 13 locations and consolidated extra boards at eight sites to optimize crew utilization. Senior leadership is also directly engaging employees with availability issues to reinforce the importance of their full-time contributions, further stabilizing workforce operations.
- “External Collaborations. Partnerships with customers and short-line railroads have been key to success. By pre-blocking traffic and increasing interchange frequency, CSX ensures better synchronization and efficiency across its network. Additionally, by closely collaborating with customers, CSX provided the necessary services to help reduce inventories that had accumulated during industry disruptions, supporting a smoother operational flow and meeting customer needs effectively.”
Looking ahead, CSX said it will “remain focused on continually improving service reliability while navigating complex infrastructure projects and external factors.”
Further Reading:
- Temporary Western Intermodal Slump Continues; CSX Update
- ‘China Air Pocket’; CSX Recovery Update
- CSX Road to Recovery Should Gain Steam in 2026
- CSX Operational Recovery, Week 4
- CSX Operational Recovery: Another Week of Good Progress
- Western Railroads Getting Leaner and Fitter
- CSX: 2024 ‘Had its Challenges’
