Norfolk Southern (NS) on Sept. 26 named Brian Barr as Vice President and Chief Mechanical Officer. In this role, Barr, who will report to Chief Operating Officer John Orr, will lead mechanical operations across the Class I’s 22-state network.
Barr joins NS from Union Pacific (UP) where he held the positions of General Manager Great Lakes Services and Senior Vice President Transportation. He started his career as a craft dispatcher in 1998 working at Conrail and, later, CSX. During his 26-year career, Barr has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility with multiple Class I railroads, including Chief Mechanical Officer and Senior Vice President Engineering and Mechanical while at CSX.
“Brian is a proven railroader with demonstrated results making safety the foundation of an efficient, service-oriented railroad. He exemplifies the engaged, collaborative culture we are building every day at Norfolk Southern to support our people and drive our business forward,” Orr said. “We are grateful to Jamie Williams for his outstanding leadership as over the past six months, serving as interim Chief Mechanical Officer. The partnership between Jamie and Brian will be instrumental to our continued transformation.”
Barr holds a business administration degree from Bellevue University and has completed multiple professional development programs.
