NS Appoints Three Industry Veterans to Lead Transportation Team

Tim Livingston joins NS as Senior Vice President Transportation and Network Operations. Reporting to Livingston will be Rodney Moore, serving as Vice President Transportation for the Northern region and Dewayne Swindall as Vice President Transportation for the Southern region.

The new leadership structure, NS says, “will bolster accelerated operational improvements throughout the company’s network with PSR-experienced senior leaders. These changes will also place leaders closer to field operations and leverage strategic consulting from Mack Barker.”

“In the first half of this year, we have made measurable progress on safety and productivity,” Orr said. “I am pleased to bring together Tim, Rodney, and Dewayne as the right leaders to help us maintain meaningful momentum and make our progress sustainable. Their roles are crucial in our journey to be the gold standard of safety and execute our operational plan with excellence while being intentional about fostering a strong culture.”

Livingston, Moore, and Swindall each have “deep operational expertise and proven ability to deliver results,” the Class I noted. They also bring strong capabilities in “implementing balanced, effective PSR strategies that deliver improved operating ratio and foster an environment of collaboration.”

Livingston, a career railroader, brings more than 20 years of experience achieving operational excellence, driving productivity improvements, and building strong safety cultures. He began as a conductor and went on to hold positions of increasing responsibility at Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) culminating in his most recent role, post-merger, as Vice President Operations for Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). He holds a BBA and an MBA from Baker University.

Moore joined NS 20 years ago as a management trainee. Throughout his tenure he has served in a variety of operational leadership roles across the network, including, most recently, as Vice President Network Operations. “He has extensive knowledge of our network and is a leader known for driving exceptional results,” NS said. In Moore’s new role, he reports directly to Livingston, and is responsible for the Northern region encompassing the densest portion of the Class I’s network between Chicago and New York.

Swindall also reports directly to Livingston. He joined NS in May from the Indiana Railroad, where he served as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. Swindall began his career 25 years ago as an NS train service employee in Birmingham, Ala. Since then, he has held key leadership roles helping railroads, including Canadian National (CN) and Genesee & Wyoming, deploying PSR, improving performance and developing talent. “Swindall is a leader who prioritizes operational excellence and engagement with team members,” the Class I noted.

Reporting into this leadership team will be a network of general managers and assistant superintendents based in their respective field offices across the Northern and Southern regions “with close oversight and engagement with day-to-day operations to speed awareness and decision-making capabilities, as well as team development.”

In addition, Mack Barker is consulting with NS on railway optimization. Barker retired earlier this year after more than 35 years at CN Railway, most recently serving as Senior Vice President Network Operations and Planning.

Swindall will join Orr, along with Ronnie Hakim, Senior Vice President, National Transit and Rail Market Sector Leader, HNTB Corp., on Nov. 5 in Chicago as speakers at the 2024 Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures Women in Rail Conference. They will discuss how their companies strive to uphold a culture of respect, sensitivity and acknowledgement. The panel will be moderated by Barbara W. Wilson, Senior Advisor, Railroad Financial Corporation, and Railway Age Women in Rail Awards judge.

View the full program and register for Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2024.