Strong infrastructure is the foundation of providing safe, reliable, and resilient service. Norfolk Southern invests $1 billion annually replacing, rehabilitating, and improving our infrastructure. Our Engineering team works year-round to deliver on this commitment to our customers and the communities where we operate.

In 2023, our Capital Production Gangs broke new records for productivity by laying 556 miles of Program Rail. That’s 35 more track miles than 2022, with the same number of rail laying teams, and the most rail we have replaced on NS since 1990.

“The Norfolk Southern Engineering Department truly came together as one team in 2023 to achieve these outstanding results that enhanced our infrastructure system wide,” said Ed Boyle, VP Engineering. “These record accomplishments were made possible through extensive planning, coordination, communication, and teamwork.”

Over the past year, our Capital Production Gangs achieved the following results:

• 619 total track miles of rail work was completed, 49 miles more than in 2022.
• The R3 Dual Rail Gang laid 310 track miles, the highest amount on record.
• The R4 and R5 Super Single Rail Gangs completed 181 track miles.
• The R1, R2, R8, and R12 Curve Rail Gangs completed 127 track miles.
• A total of 2,562 miles of track were Tied & Surfaced.
• 2,099,502 rail ties were installed.
• An additional 1,745 miles of track were surfaced.

“Our Engineering team worked collaboratively with the Network Operations Center and Transportation in a true Team of Teams effort to safely deliver a very successful year,” said Paul Duncan, Chief Operating Officer. “We look forward to achieving even greater results in the coming year.”