Story Yard
Capital Production Gangs keep Norfolk Southern
on track

Twenty teams comprised of over 660 dedicated railroaders make up our Capital Production Gangs. Together, they are the tip of the spear of our $1 billion annual investment in our infrastructure. Each team performs a specialized function, keeping our 28,000+ miles of track in safe working condition so that our trains can maintain optimal speed and reach their destination on time.

The teams who comprise our Capital Production Gangs include:

  • The R3 Dual Rail Gang is our largest production gang and the only rail laying team in the entire industry that installs both rails simultaneously. This high production operation lays over 300 track miles (600+ linear miles) of rail per year.
  • The 2 Super Single Rail Gangs, R4 & R5, handle shorter rail replacement jobs that cannot be efficiently performed by R3. These two single side rail gangs are collectively responsible for replacing 180 track miles of rail annually. 
  • The 4 Single Side Rail Gangs replace over 100 track miles of targeted curve rail annually.
  • The 6 Super, 2 Yard, and 3 Regional Timber and Surfacing (T&S) Gangs replace a total of 2.25 million cross ties annually. These 11 T&S gangs install crossties and surface the track system wide. The 6 Super gangs focus on the mainline and sidings and the 5 smaller teams work yard tracks and industry tracks.
  • The 2 high production Surfacing Gangs, S2 & S6 and surfacing teams imbedded in the rail gangs maintain track stability by tamping/surfacing nearly 2,000 miles annually.

 

“Our Production Gangs are a critical investment in our infrastructure and one of the keys to our success. The NS Engineering Department works as ONE TEAM to ensure the safety of operations for our people and the communities we run through,” said Ed Boyle, VP Engineering. “These 20 high performing teams working with our Line Maintenance, Program Maintenance, Maintenance Equipment, and Communications and Signals forces are committed to excellence and are working tirelessly to make our railroad better every day. The work performed laying rail, installing ties, and surfacing track is foundational and essential to the overall success of Norfolk Southern.”

To ensure that this critical work is performed safely and efficiently with a minimal impact to train movement, the Engineering Team partners closely with multiple groups, including the Network Operations Center, Network Planning and Optimization, Transportation and Mechanical teams system wide. Completing the annual Capital Program is truly a team effort.