The railroad attributed its overall safety achievements to:
- A “Speak Up” culture: “Driven by a shared commitment to the core value of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement,” NS said every employee is empowered with Stop Work Authority from day one on the job; 100% of operations leaders have completed safety leadership training; and systemwide Safety Walkabouts and labor partnerships have been expanded “to strengthen engagement and enhance the skills and capabilities of our professional railroaders.”
- Technology at scale: “We leveraged advanced technology to identify issues earlier and make our operations safer,” NS said. The railroad installed three additional digital train inspection portals, bringing the total to 10 systemwide; deployed five additional automated track geometry measurement system (ATGMS)-equipped locomotives, expanding the fleet to 25 monitoring track conditions in real time; and installed 265 hot bearing detectors over the past three years, bringing the total to 1,184 networkwide and reducing average spacing to “just over 11 miles on core routes.”
- Prepared communities: “We take pride in being a part of the communities we serve, and we continue to support first responder organizations across our network, helping to keep our communities safe,” NS reported. In 2025, more than 5,800 first responders received training through NS’ Operation Awareness & Response program, and $1.6 million in grants were awarded to first responder organizations through NS’ Safety First grants “to strengthen emergency response capabilities.”
“Safety is a core value and the foundation of everything we do at Norfolk Southern,” NS President and CEO Mark George said. “It’s the lens through which every decision is made. From the boardroom to the front line, the Thoroughbred team focuses on providing safe and reliable service to our customers, our communities and our employees. This report is a comprehensive accounting of the steps we’re taking and the progress we’ve made—in the crew room, on the ballast line and in our communities. We’re continuously raising our standards for excellence, guided by our commitment to safety.”
“Norfolk Southern continues to strengthen a culture where every voice matters,” said NS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Orr, Railway Age’s 2026 Railroader of the Year. “Every employee is empowered to speak up about issues and share ideas. Together, we’re enhancing an environment grounded in our core value of safety—one that supports open dialogue, collaborative problem solving, and continuous improvement across all levels of the organization, from craft employees to senior leadership.”
“At Norfolk Southern, safety is more than the absence of incidents; it’s a core value that creates a culture of accountability driven by the grit and dedication of our professional railroaders,” NS Vice President and Chief Safety Officer John Fleps said. “Safety is a daily grind of continuous improvement, pairing strategic initiatives with sweat equity to shape behaviors, refine processes, and enhance procedures that build a safer, more productive, and more reliable network.”
John Orr will be presented with the Railroader of the Year Award at the traditional dinner hosted by the Western Railway Club at the Union League Club of Chicago on March 10. Orr and Mark George are featured speakers at Railway Age’s Next-Generation Freight Rail Conference, to be held the same day in the same location.
Also on Jan. 27, NS reported that its industrial development site in the Shoals region of northwest Alabama has received a platinum designation from the national REDI Sites Program. This top designation, it said, is awarded to properties that meet “rigorous readiness criteria.“
The rail-served site with utility infrastructure is in a region with “a highly skilled” workforce, according to the railroad.
“Today’s [Jan. 27] designation for our Shoals-area site underscores Norfolk Southern’s continued commitment to developing quality, shovel-ready sites that rail shippers can trust to meet their evolving business needs,” NS Director Industrial Development MaryBeth Flournoy said. “With its access to markets across the Southeast and Midwest, the Shoals site is positioned to attract companies looking to grow their business with rail.”
“At the Shoals Economic Development Authority, we are focused on advancing The Shoals region as a competitive and attractive destination for business and industry,” added Kevin Jackson, Shoals EDA President. “Our sites and buildings are central to that strategy, and this designation further reinforces our efforts. We appreciate Norfolk Southern’s partnership and its efforts to highlight the potential of this site.”
