GREENCASTLE, Pa., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) CEO Wick Moorman and U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster joined federal, state, and local officials today to officially dedicate the Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility.

The $97 million terminal, located on 200 acres south of Greencastle and less than a mile from Interstate 81, connects Central Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, and Northern Virginia to domestic and world markets while creating 126 jobs at the site. The facility, a public-private partnership involving $52 million in NS funds and supported by a $45 million investment by Pennsylvania, is part of NS' Crescent Corridor series of projects, a 2,500-mile network of rail and terminals that helps moderate truck traffic on congested roadways and reduce carbon emissions.

"This terminal represents a milestone for Norfolk Southern and Franklin County," Moorman said. "It is creating jobs here in Central Pennsylvania, positioning Norfolk Southern as the green transportation choice, and serving the region's freight transportation needs. This important endeavor would not be possible without the dedicated support of people in Washington, Harrisburg, and here in Franklin County."

The terminal, with its 670 paved trailer/container parking spots, will be a major gateway for freight in the Mid-Atlantic. NS projects that the new facility, in combination with other NS intermodal terminals in the state, will help divert hundreds of thousands of long-haul trucks off roadways in Pennsylvania and onto trains.

"This intermodal terminal is a huge investment in Franklin County's future," said Shuster, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. "These facilities are proven centers of business growth, and I am sure it will create many opportunities for Franklin County and the region.  I have long supported freight rail because of its efficiency and see this terminal as a vital infrastructure improvement."

"This facility is a prime example of how government and private industry can partner to create jobs and improve communities," Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Barry J. Schoch said. "Maintaining a multi-modal transportation system is essential to keeping people and our economy moving, and connecting Pennsylvania to the global marketplace."

Mike Ross, president of the Franklin County Area Development Corporation, pointed to the economic benefits the facility has already triggered.  "The opening of this terminal stands to have a transformative impact on the quad-state economy because it puts the region on the radar screen of site location professionals across the country," Ross said. "Since the facility opened, more than two million square feet of new construction has commenced in Franklin County, that when completed will lead to more than 1,000 new jobs."

NS constructed the facility's administration building to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards. The railroad is incorporating terminal automation in order to maintain air quality and support truck drivers.

The Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility is the third Crescent Corridor intermodal terminal NS has opened since mid-2012, with facilities in Birmingham and Memphis having started last year. A fourth Crescent Corridor intermodal terminal, located in Charlotte, will open later this year. NS also is expanding capacity at two intermodal terminals in Harrisburg.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation