NS
NS recently announced that its Bellevue Yard in Ohio achieved a major milestone of processing nearly 2,600 railcars in a single day, including more than 1,100 in one shift, and all without a single safety incident.
“None of this matters if you don’t do it safely,” said Assistant Superintendent J.R. Elliott.
The goal, NS says, is to fully align capability and resources with volume, maximizing operations to serve its customers faster and more reliably. The strategy requires that leaders and crews collaborate closely to safely fine-tune processes, ensure clear communication, and provide the right support at the right time.
“When you think about a hump operation, it’s like an assembly line,” Elliott explained. “Cars arrive; you feed the hump, and the hump feeds the bowl. Then you pull back to react and respond safely so you can keep producing high over the hill.”
The team, NS says, executed flawlessly because everyone was aligned on the mission. Everyone pulled in the same direction.
“There was so much pride that day,” said Mike McGowan, Manager Terminal Operations. “The expectation was clear from the start, and the team delivered safely and efficiently.”
“I’m proud of this team for showing what committed leadership and collaboration can achieve,” Superintendent Rob Sarver added. “Everyone stayed focused, worked together, and never compromised on the core value of safety. That’s how you hit milestones like this.”
Separately, Atlanta’s business, civic, and community leaders recently gathered for Atlanta Police Foundation’s 21st Annual Crime is Toast Awards Breakfast to celebrate the people and partnerships shaping the city’s future of public safety.
At the event, NS announced a $2 million donation to the Foundation’s Safest City Campaign to support the operations of the @Promise Youth Centers, which strives to make Atlanta the safest large city in America.
NS President and CEO Mark George, who also serves as Crime is Toast chairman, delivered opening remarks at the breakfast, highlighting the evolution of public safety in Atlanta and the shared responsibility of building a stronger city.
This investment, NS says, advances prevention, innovation, and training programs that protect the people who keep Atlanta moving, from first responders to families and businesses across the community.
NS’ partnership with the Atlanta Police Foundation reflects a long-term investment in programs, facilities, and initiatives that strengthen safety and community connection across the city. Since 2023, the Class I has contributed a total of $3.8 million to support this shared mission:
- “Training and readiness: Advancing the development of the Public Safety Training Center, where first responders will gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art facilities.
- “Safety initiatives: Helping build a new fire station and donating a Safety Train for first responder education.
- “Youth engagement: Providing $50,000 annually to support the Foundation’s @Promise programming, which mentors and empowers young Atlantans.”
“The Safest City Campaign is a transformative vision for Atlanta’s future—one that demands bold leadership and deep investment,” said George. “That’s why I’m proud to announce that Norfolk Southern is contributing $2 million to the campaign specifically to support the ongoing operations of the four @Promise centers that serve Atlanta’s youth. This gift builds on our longstanding partnership with the Atlanta Police Foundation and reflects our commitment to helping make Atlanta the safest large city in America.”
UP
UP recently announced via a LinkedIn post that it has earned Gold in Shell Chemicals’ MVP Awards, celebrating the Class I’s “commitment to safety, innovation and impact.”
“Big thanks to Shell Chemicals and a shoutout to our team of MVPs who keep America’s freight safely rolling every day,” UP wrote in the post.
CSX
CSX’s REDI Center in Atlanta recently celebrated 20 years of workforce development, the Class I announced via an X post.
Since 2005, the center has trained more than 100,000 employees, customers and partners, “driving safety, reliability and success.”
“Kudos to the REDI team for continuing to shape the future of rail,” said CSX.
