Each day, hundreds of dedicated railroaders across dozens of departments at Norfolk Southern work together to ensure the safety of our train operations before a crew ever steps on board. Decisions are made with a safety-first focus throughout the process, from planning to operations to transportation. That means that before a train ever takes on freight or crew members, it’s been planned by and built through at least four teams working together. 

Our Planning Teams oversee train movements, planning, and scheduling and is comprised of: 

• • The Network Operations Center (NOC) coordinates train movements, determines upcoming train routes, and plans the detailed schedules from the heart of our corporate headquarters. 
• • The Network Planning and Optimization team uses data to model our trains, determining how many locomotives the train should have, how many stops it will make, and much more.
• • Customer Logistics teams are also involved in the planning process, determining arrivals and prioritizing schedules to ensure freight gets to the right place at the right time.

As trains move from planning toward execution, our Operations Support Teams take over. This is where our craft railroaders bring their expertise and ready a train for departure.  

• • Teams of oilers, laborers, and electricians make sure the locomotive is safe, fueled, and ready to roll.   
• • Freight car inspectors and freight car mechanics review cars to make sure they're in top shape as they complete pre-departure inspections. 

Once inspections are complete and routes are prepared, our Transportation Teams – made up of railroaders based in our yards – assemble the train, setting it up for its journey to points across our network. 

• • Our craft crews – comprised of an engineer and a conductor – come onboard the locomotive to build their train. The engineer operates the locomotive, while the conductor is responsible for all paperwork, compliance, groundwork, and safety. Both conductors and engineers are directly involved in the safe and efficient movement of our freight trains. At times, they are joined by a conductor trainee, who is learning the ropes on the job, after successfully completing initial training in McDonough, GA.  
• • A dispatcher based in the NOC – similar to an air traffic controller – coordinates a crew’s movements once the train has left the yard. The dispatcher will share the route and signals to proceed.  

In addition to these talented teams working to safely coordinate all aspects of train movement, we also maintain On-call Safety Teams.  

• • Help desk experts and support specialists work 24/7 to handle any possible mechanical or technical issues.
• • We are also continuously tracking and documenting trip records and providing it to our Centralized Road Foreman for real-time monitoring. They also help train crews if any issues arise, or any technical issues need to be addressed.

“It takes a team of dedicated railroaders to ensure that our trains operate safely and reach their final destination on time,” said Paul Duncan, Chief Operating Officer. “Our specialized teams work together to safely move trains across our network every day.” 

These teams work tirelessly and around the clock, but they represent just a fraction of the hands-on support provided to each and every Norfolk Southern train. Thousands of Terminal Supervisors, Road Managers, Frontline Supervisors, Yard Masters, Mechanics, Signal Maintainers, Freight Car Repairers, IT Specialists, Track Laborers, Electricians, and others provide additional oversight, assistance, and expertise. We are grateful for their collective commitment to putting safety first, as well as the crucial roles they individually play in bringing our corporate vision to life.