Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) are collaborating to improve operations and productivity. The result is smoother operations and better customer service.  

The two railroads jointly focused on train 287, which travels from Miami to Norfolk Southern’s Simpson Yard in Jacksonville. Previously, the train arrived at the yard with cars that did not pertain to the train’s destination. Crews spent multiple hours switching cars and then re-assembling them into contiguous blocks to reach their destination.

Assembling 287 in blocks would free up crew member time and ease congestion. It would also have the benefit of reducing the number of switches required to build the train while also speeding up the train to its final destination.

“Our excellent working relationship with the FEC enabled us to easily come up with a solution,” said Eric Sams, Simpson Yard Superintendent. “Thanks to the FEC’s flexibility, we’ve improved terminal fluidity and our crews can spend their time supporting more trains. Morale among our crew members has also improved.”

To help the FEC reach similar productivity goals, Norfolk Southern is delivering train 281 assembled in blocks. That train, which transports intermodal traffic, originates at the Charlotte Yard and travels to Atlanta before reaching its final destination in Fort Lauderdale.  

"The safe and efficient transition of freight between the FEC and our interchange partners is a key function of what our team does daily,” said Brook Hartzog, Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, FEC. “The blocking of traffic is just one example of how when we collaborate, the benefits extend beyond the railroads and ultimately resonate with the customers."

This isn’t the first time the two railroads have collaborated. In March, NS and FEC announced an agreement to expedite intermodal service for customers.