NS Announces New Train Control System

[Anonymous]

September 21, 2005

Norfolk Southern Announces Train Control Initiative

NORFOLK, VA. – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is developing
an Optimized Train Control (OTC) system to further improve safety and
efficiency on the railroad.

OTC will employ components of several advanced train control
technologies, including Positive Train Control, which the National
Transportation Safety Board supports as a “most wanted” initiative for
transportation safety.

OTC will combine data communications, positioning systems and onboard
computers tied to the train’s braking systems. It will automatically
enforce speed and operating limits to prevent collisions and other
train accidents, provide improved visibility of network conditions, and
promote more efficient operations.

“This is a key step in our commitment to use advanced technology in all
aspects of operations,” said Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern president.
“OTC will help provide a safer environment for employees and
communities and better handling for customer shipments.”

NS is working with Lockheed-Martin’s Rail and Gravity Programs group,
which has taken the lead role in the Federal Railroad Administration’s
train control initiative, and GE’s Rail Business group. Together the
partners will work with multiple vendors to develop new components and
enhance and integrate systems they have been developing over the last
decade.

Implementation of the first phase has begun on Norfolk Southern’s line
between Charleston and Columbia, S.C. Roll-out on other NS lines will
follow.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier
transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary
operates approximately 21,300 route miles in 22 states, the District of
Columbia and Ontario, Canada, serving every major container port in the
eastern United States and providing superior connections to western
rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is North America’s largest rail carrier of automotive parts
and finished vehicles.

###

For further information contact:
(Media) Rob Chapman, 757-629-2713 ([e-mail])
(Investors) Leanne Marilley, 757-629-2861 ([e-mail])





-------------
Norfolk Southern Corporation
http://www.nscorp.com

[jchnhtfd]

And, before someone gets worried, it will not supplant conscientious and safe operation by the train crews, any more than a bunch of high-tech gadgets has supplanted conscientious and safe operation in the aviation industry. But it should help the crews do a better job, and maybe even with less stress.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a very good idea by NS. This will improve safety and will result in fewer minor and major accidents. However, it will not replace the safety requirements that the employees must follow. This proves once again that NS is number One in safety, a value that all other railroads need to also try to follow.

[daveklepper]

great news.

[Anonymous]

Awesome news and the precursor to one man crews.......awesome! Can't wait to be cut off......

[CShaveRR]

I'm interested in what's actually involved here. Will all locomotives that run over the equipped lines have to be equipped with on-board stuff of sorts? Will this be a system capable of standardization so that connecting railroad's units can continue to lead on some NS trains?

It sounds like a good thing, though, as Ken suggested, it might be used as an argument to show that the second crerwmember is redundant. But until they can come up with a control system that changes out knuckles and air hoses, I don't really think so!

[waltersrails]

[#ditto][#dots] i agree with C Shaverr also how long of a period
will it take to make all the engines that way or is it select ones?

[bobwilcox]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR


It sounds like a good thing, though, as Ken suggested, it might be used as an argument to show that the second crerwmember is redundant. But until they can come up with a control system that changes out knuckles and air hoses, I don't really think so!

Think about what a driver for UPS does when he has a breakdown. The railroads can set up similar processes adapted for their own enviroment.

This will take years to accomplish due to the capital requirments but the Section 6 notices have been issued for calling conducters by all the Class Is and NS is moving the technology from the workbench to the field.

The other big issue is fatigue. Something had to be done to fundamentally restructure everyone working on a chain gaing. Of course if you take this technolgy even further into the future things start to look like a 1:1 model railroad and fatigue goes away with all trainmen.

[Big_Boy_4005]

This thing almost sounds like a train version of auto pilot, enforcing speed limits and signals. I don't think it is ever going to replace crews, but it may make their jobs much easier. My guess is that as long as the lead locomotive is equiped with the new controls, the system will be able to "talk to" the train.

Actually, a lot of the infrastructure for this system may already be in place, and just a little locomotive hardware, and some dispatch based software could pull it all together.

Yes Bob, it does sound a bit like computer controlled model railroading.

[Randy Stahl]

Intersting that years ago railroads had a system that told you where each train was(usually) at any given time , I think they called it a timetable. I recall them having lots of information including of all things.......Times

[tree68]

Gee - I thought maybe they were getting into DCC.....