Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate a preliminary review of your rail service requirements and conceptual track plan to ensure concurrence between Industry and Railway early in the project.
CONNECT YOUR BUSINESS TO RAIL
The steps below provide a general outline for establishing or resuming Norfolk Southern rail service.
Build or Expand a Rail-Served Facility
Contact your local Industrial Development Manager to discuss the scope of the project. Be prepared to discuss commodity type, anticipated volumes, origin/destination, frequency of rail shipments, etc.
Based on the project criteria provided in Step 1, our Technical Services team will work closely with you and the Industrial Development Manager to develop a conceptual track plan, tailored to the rail needs of your facility. This ensures that new industry track infrastructure is designed for safe and efficient operations, allowing Norfolk Southern to provide preliminary approval of the conceptual track plan prior to the development of detailed engineering plans.
Industry will retain the services of a professional engineer to prepare detailed engineering plans, formalizing the conceptual track plan developed and reviewed in steps (2) and (3).
Detailed engineering plans submitted by Industry must adhere to Download Norfolk Southern Railway Company Specifications for Design and Construction of Privately Owned Industry Tracks.
Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate a review of the detailed engineering plans with Norfolk Southern’s Operations Department.
Upon Norfolk Southern Operations Department approval, Industrial Development will draft the appropriate track construction and operating agreement for review and signature.
Industry completes all track work for Industry owned and maintained tracks. Norfolk Southern completes all track work for Norfolk Southern owned and maintained tracks.
Upon completion of all track work, track(s) will be inspected by Norfolk Southern personnel and placed in service.
Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate an update of Norfolk Southern’s internal systems to include the new tracks and rail capabilities at your facility, allowing you to order and receive railcars.
Establishing Rail Service on Privately Owned Track
Contact your local Industrial Development Manager to discuss your rail service needs. Be prepared to discuss commodity type, anticipated volumes, origin/destination, frequency of rail shipments, etc.
Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate a review of your rail service requirements and of the existing track infrastructure. If additional track infrastructure is required for Norfolk Southern to provide safe and efficient service, please refer to the steps outlined in Build or Expand a Rail-Served Facility (above).
Upon Norfolk Southern approval of the existing track infrastructure, Industrial Development will draft or update an appropriate track operating agreement for review and signature.
Upon completion of any necessary track repairs, track(s) will be inspected by Norfolk Southern personnel and placed in service.
Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate an update of Norfolk Southern’s internal systems to include the tracks and rail capabilities at your facility, allowing you to order and receive railcars.
Your Norfolk Southern Representative will work closely with you as your new service is established - welcome aboard!
Establishing Rail Service on NS Owned Track
Contact your local Industrial Development Manager to discuss your rail service needs. Be prepared to discuss commodity type, anticipated volumes, origin/destination, frequency of rail shipments, etc.
Many Norfolk Southern owned tracks are not available for lease and there are a number of commodities that Norfolk Southern does not permit to be transloaded on Railway owned property. Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate a review of your rail service requirements and suggest possible track lease locations.
Upon Norfolk Southern approval of the track lease, Industrial Development will draft an appropriate lease agreement for review and signature.
Upon completion of any necessary track repairs, track(s) will be inspected by Norfolk Southern personnel and placed in service.
Your local Industrial Development Manager will coordinate an update of Norfolk Southern’s internal systems, allowing you to order and receive railcars on the leased track(s).
Your Norfolk Southern Representative will work closely with you as your new service is established - welcome aboard!
