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122-680: The original Lehigh Line was built by the Lehigh Valley Railroad and opened in 1855 in the Lehigh Valley . The line later expanded all the way to Buffalo, New York and then to Jersey City which was later retracted to Newark. The original Lehigh Line and the rest of the Lehigh Valley Railroad was merged into Conrail in 1976 and was downsized in the New York and Pennsylvania . The original Lehigh Line

244-608: A controlled burn of the spill which released hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air. In May 2023, Norfolk Southern announced compensation plans for homeowners whose homes lost value near the 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio . The program applies to parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania near the derailment site and applies to those with homes on the market, future listings or sold since February 3, 2023. NS has also added more trackside detectors to help spot mechanical problems like wheel-bearing temperatures following

366-617: A labor dispute between Norfolk Southern Railway and railway workers has been underway. In September 2022, the workers and companies involved tentatively agreed to a deal, but it was rejected by a majority of the union's members. In late 2022, the United States Congress intervened to prevent a strike by passing the tentative deal into law. Norfolk Southern was the first railroad to offer paid sick leave to all employees. In May 2023, Norfolk Southern agreed to provide up to seven paid sick days per year to employees, meeting one of

488-550: A New York charter for the Lehigh Valley Railway, a similar name to the LVRR, but with "railway" instead. LVRR subsidiary, Lehigh Valley Railway began constructing the main line's northern part from Buffalo to Lancaster, New York , in 1883, a total distance of ten miles. This was the second step toward establishment of a direct route from Sayre to Buffalo (thus avoiding the connecting spur to Waverly and on to Buffalo on

610-622: A burglary in Chicago. The officers were unharmed, and the suspects fled. The Norfolk Southern Police runs a program called Protect the Line that encourages citizens and employees to report suspicious activity. The Police Communications Center coordinates responses to potential threats or incidents across the railroad's 20,000 miles of track. On September 15, 2002, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Farragut, Tennessee . The derailment resulted in

732-449: A comprehensive six-point safety plan which included installing approximately 200 additional hot bearing detectors across its rail network. These detectors are essential in identifying potential issues before they become serious problems, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the rail operations. To address the safety of transporting hazardous materials, in May 2023, Norfolk Southern enlisted

854-469: A few hundred acres of coal land, by 1868 the LVRR was feeling pressure from the Delaware and Hudson and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in the northern Wyoming Valley coal field, where the railroads mined and transported their own coal at a much reduced cost. The LVRR recognized that its own continued prosperity depended on obtaining what coal lands remained. In pursuit of that strategy,

976-551: A fleet of ships on the Great Lakes with terminals in Chicago , Milwaukee , and Duluth . This company became an important factor in the movement of anthracite, grain and package freight between Buffalo, Chicago, Milwaukee, Duluth, Superior and other midwestern cities. Following Federal legislation which stopped the operation of such service, the lake line was sold to private interests in 1920. The port on Lake Erie at Buffalo

1098-465: A large amount of chlorine and diesel fuel being released into nearby waterways. In addition, a toxic cloud covered the city resulting in the town being evacuated. Local wildlife was killed, many of the local crops and vegetation were contaminated or killed, nine human deaths were reported, and thousands were injured. The company was taken to court and fined for violating the Clean Water Act and

1220-499: A major portion of the new Southern Railway (SOU). Financier J. P. Morgan selected veteran railroader Samuel Spencer as president. Profitable and innovative, Southern became, in 1953, the first major U.S. railroad to completely switch to diesel-electric locomotives from steam. The City Point Railroad , established in 1838, was a 9-mile (14 km) railroad in Virginia that started south of Richmond —specifically, City Point on

1342-529: A new rail line called the Conrail Lehigh Line. Norfolk Southern along with its competitor CSX own the new rail line under a joint venture called Conrail Shared Assets Operations ; the joint venture is the same company that operated the former Conrail railroad, just reorganized as a terminal railroad under Norfolk Southern and CSX ownership. For historical purposes, the Manville to Newark tracks

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1464-541: A proposed merger that had been months in the pipeline with Canadian Pacific was abandoned abruptly. According to NS's 2022 Annual Report to Investors, at the end of 2022, NS had 19,300 employees, 3,190 locomotives, and 40,470 freight cars. At the end of 2022, the transport of coal made up 14% of the total operating revenue of NS, general merchandise (automotive, chemicals, metals, construction materials, agriculture commodities, consumer products, paper, clay, forest products, and more) made up 57%, and intermodal made up 29% of

1586-587: A quarter of it was ballasted with stone or gravel. The line had a descending or level grade from Mauch Chunk to Easton and with the exception of the curve at Mauch Chunk had no curve of less than 700 feet radius. The 46-mile-long (74 km) LVRR connected at Mauch Chunk with the Beaver Meadow Railroad . The Beaver Meadow Railroad had been built in 1836, and it transported anthracite coal from Jeansville in Pennsylvania's Middle Coal Field to

1708-563: A terminus in Jersey City, New Jersey . Construction commenced in 1872 as soon the Easton and Amboy was formed; coal docks at Perth Amboy were soon constructed, and most of the line from Easton to Perth Amboy was graded and rails laid. However, the route required a 4,893-foot (1,491 m) tunnel through/under Musconetcong Mountain near Pattenburg, New Jersey (about twelve miles east of Phillipsburg), and that proved troublesome, delaying

1830-570: A third rail within the Erie mainline tracks to enable the LV equipment to run through to Elmira and later to Buffalo. Further rounds of acquisitions took place in 1868. The acquisitions in 1868 were notable because they marked the beginning of the LVRR's strategy of acquiring coal lands to ensure production and traffic for its own lines. Although the 1864 acquisition of the Beaver Meadow had included

1952-630: A vent and burn of the toxic chemical vinyl chloride monomer from the tank car . An NTSB investigator and the Federal Railroad Administration found that the vent and burn was unnecessary. The chemical burn released toxic contaminants into the air, soil, and water in East Palestine, according to the science director at the Science and Environmental Health Network, Todd Schettler. The NTSB concluded that this decision

2074-656: Is $ 3.07 billion. Norfolk Southern is one of the five biggest railroad operators in North America by its revenue. It operates in 22 states and in Washington, D.C. The company's market capitalization stood at nearly $ 58 billion in February 2024. Norfolk Southern's predecessor railroads date to the early 19th century. The South Carolina Canal & Rail Road was the SOU's earliest predecessor line. Chartered in 1827,

2196-869: Is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta , the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway . The company operates 19,420 route miles (31,250 km) in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia , and has rights in Canada over the Albany to Montreal route of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City . Norfolk Southern Railway

2318-860: Is a former Central Railroad of New Jersey line. It makes a roughly parallel, but sometimes diverging route to the Raritan Valley Line, running to the south of that line. Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad ( reporting mark LV ) was a railroad in the Northeastern United States built predominantly to haul anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Northeastern Pennsylvania to major consumer markets in Philadelphia , New York City , and elsewhere. On April 21, 1846,

2440-611: Is considered a new rail line and the Norfolk Southern part is considered the original line. Canadian Pacific Railway has trackage rights on both the original Lehigh Line and the Conrail Lehigh Line. The Conrail Lehigh Line is owned and operated by Conrail Shared Assets Operations under the North Jersey Shared Assets Area division. Conrail Shared Assets Operations is owned by Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail or Conrail Inc.) which in turn

2562-615: Is owned as a joint venture between Norfolk Southern Railway (a Norfolk Southern Corporation company) and CSX Transportation (a CSX Corporation company). Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation are the only Class 1 railroads that operate on the East Coast . The line runs from CP Port Reading Junction in Manville, New Jersey to Oak Island Yard in Newark, New Jersey along the former Manville to Newark route and tracks that

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2684-528: Is still in existence) was built by the Lehigh Valley Railroad and opened in 1855 in the Lehigh Valley . The original Lehigh Line was the Lehigh Valley's first line and served as the body of the railroad until it built or acquired other rail lines. The original Lehigh Line later expanded in the northwest to Buffalo, New York and expanded east to Perth Amboy, New Jersey . The line's route switched to Newark, New Jersey when new tracks were constructed to

2806-483: Is the leading subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation. Norfolk Southern is responsible for maintaining 28,400 miles (45,700 km), with the remainder being operated under trackage rights from other parties responsible for maintenance work. Intermodal containers and trailers are the most common commodity type carried by NS, which have grown as the coal business has declined throughout

2928-669: The Cincinnati Southern Railway for $ 1.6 billion. Cincinnati voters approved the sale in the November 2023 election. Norfolk Southern will pay the city $ 1.6 billion and Cincinnati will establish a trust fund with the money, with earned interest going back to Cincinnati to maintain infrastructure. In 2024, the company nominated a slate of new board members. In a letter to shareholders, NS asked them to vote for its slate of 13 nominees at its May shareholder meeting. The company defended its choice of board members, citing

3050-919: The Delaware Division Canal or transported across the river to Phillipsburg, New Jersey , where the Morris Canal and the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) could carry it to the New York City market. At Easton, the LVRR constructed a double-decked bridge across the Delaware River for connections to the CNJ and the Belvidere Delaware Railroad in Phillipsburg. Through a connection with

3172-688: The Georgia Tech sustainability program for the next three years. In order to align itself with climate-change goals set by the Paris Agreement , NS aims to cut its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2034. NS has begun measures to lower emissions, such as modernizing more than 100 locomotives each year and equipping 93% of its active locomotive fleet, or 1550 locomotives, with energy-management technology. The company has made efforts to improve environmental sustainability , according to Progressive Railroading magazine. In 2007,

3294-794: The Hayts Corners, Ovid & Willard Railroad opened May 14, 1883 from the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre to the Willard asylum, and continued in service until 1936. In Pennsylvania, the Lehigh scored a coup by obtaining the charter formerly held by the Schuykill Haven and Lehigh River Railroad in 1886. That charter had been held by the Reading Railroad since 1860, when it had blocked construction in order to maintain its monopoly in

3416-728: The Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City . The LVRR, which had built coal docks in Perth Amboy when it built the Easton and Amboy in the 1870s, desired a terminal on the Hudson River close to New York City . In 1891, the LVRR consolidated the Roselle and South Plainfield Railway into the Lehigh Valley Terminal Railway , along with the other companies which formed the route from South Plainfield to

3538-764: The Interstate Commerce Commission for approval to merge and create CSX Corporation . In response, the Southern Railway (SOU, formed in 1894) and Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W, formed in 1881) quickly decided a merger of their own would be advantageous. The two companies announced their merger plans in April 1979; the CSX merger went ahead in 1980. In 1982, SOU and N&W concluded their own merger, creating Norfolk Southern Corporation. In 1990, Norfolk Southern Corporation transferred all

3660-561: The Lehigh Canal at Mauch Chunk. For 25 years the Lehigh Canal had enjoyed a monopoly on downstream transportation and was charging independent producers high fees. When the LVRR opened, those producers eagerly sent their product by the railroad instead of canal, and within two years of its construction the LVRR was carrying over 400,000 tons of coal annually. By 1859 it had 600 coal cars and 19 engines. The LVRR immediately became

3782-583: The Lehigh River and break the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company 's monopoly on coal traffic from Wyoming Valley . The railroad was chartered on August 2, 1847, and elected James Madison Porter its president on October 21. Little occurred between 1847 and 1851, save some limited grading near Allentown, Pennsylvania . All this changed in October 1851, when Asa Packer took majority control of

Lehigh Line (Conrail) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3904-603: The Port of New York and New Jersey to serve consumer markets in the New York metropolitan area , eliminating the Phillipsburg connection with the CNJ that had previously been the only outlet to the New York tidewater; until it was built, the terminus of the LVRR had been at Phillipsburg on the Delaware River opposite Easton, Pennsylvania . The Easton and Amboy was used as a connection to the New York metropolitan area, with

4026-585: The Route of the Black Diamond ; black diamond is a slang word for anthracite , the high-end type of Pennsylvania coal that it initially transported by boat down the Lehigh River . The Lehigh Valley Railroad's original and primary route between Easton and Allentown was built in 1855. The line later expanded past Allentown to Lehigh Valley Terminal in Buffalo and past Easton to New York City , bringing

4148-552: The Schuylkill Valley coal fields. The Vosburg Tunnel was completed and opened for service on July 25, 1886. The 16-mile mountain cut-off, a rail segment of the line that extended from Fairview, Pennsylvania , to the outskirts of Pittston, Pennsylvania , was completed in November 1888. This allowed the line's eastbound grade to be reduced and a shorter route for handling through traffic established. The LVRR had built coal docks in Perth Amboy, New Jersey , when it built

4270-883: The Thomas Iron Company , the Lehigh Crane Iron Company , the Lehigh Valley Iron Works, the Carbon Iron Company, and others. At Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , the North Pennsylvania Railroad which was completed during the Summer of 1856, provided a rail connection to Philadelphia and thus brought the LVRR a direct line to Philadelphia. At Phillipsburg, New Jersey , the Belvidere Delaware Railroad connected to Trenton, New Jersey . To accommodate

4392-604: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio . There are 464,000 potential class members, and only 1 percent opted out of the settlement, while 86 objected. Over 90 percent of East Palestine households have reportedly filed claims to access the settlement. Approximately 27 percent of the settlement fund, or around $ 162 million, will be set aside for attorneys' fees to be divided between over 35 law firms that participated in

4514-857: The 1850s. The AM&O was the oldest portion of the Norfolk & Western (N&W) when it was formed in 1881, under E. W. Clark & Co. , ownership with a keen interest and financial investments in the coal fields of Western Virginia and West Virginia. In the second half of the 20th century, the N&;W acquired the Virginian Railway (1959), the Wabash Railway , and the Nickel Plate Road , among others. In January 1979, major eastern United States railroad holding companies Chessie System and Seaboard System Railroad applied to

4636-434: The 1868 purchases of the Hazleton Railroad and the Lehigh Luzerne Railroad brought 1,800 acres (7.3 km ) of coal land to the LVRR, and additional lands were acquired along branches of the LVRR. Over the next dozen years the railroad acquired other large tracts of land: 13,000 acres (53 km ) in 1870, 5,800 acres (23 km ) in 1872, and acquisition of the Philadelphia Coal Company in 1873 with its large leases in

4758-414: The 21st century; coal was formerly the largest traffic source. The railway offers the largest intermodal rail network in eastern North America. NS was also the pioneer of Roadrailer service. Norfolk Southern and its chief competitor, CSX Transportation , have a duopoly on the transcontinental freight rail lines in the Eastern United States . Norfolk Southern is the namesake and leading subsidiary of

4880-402: The 4 ft 10 in (1,473 mm) gauge of the Belvidere, the cars were furnished with wheels having wide treads that operated on both roads. The 1860s saw an expansion of the LVRR northward to the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania , area and up the Susquehanna River to the New York state line. Asa Packer was elected President of the Lehigh Valley Railroad on January 13, 1862. In 1864,

5002-434: The Bound Brook and Easton were merged to form a new railroad company called the Easton and Amboy Railroad (or Easton & Amboy Railroad Company). The Easton and Amboy Railroad was a railroad built across central New Jersey by the Lehigh Valley Railroad to run from Phillipsburg, New Jersey , to Bound Brook, New Jersey , and it was built to connect the Lehigh Valley Railroad coal-hauling operations in Pennsylvania and

Lehigh Line (Conrail) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5124-419: The Central Railroad of New Jersey, LVRR passengers had a route to Newark, New Jersey , Jersey City, New Jersey , and other points in New Jersey . The LVRR's rolling stock was hired from the Central Railroad of New Jersey and a contract was made with the CNJ to run two passenger trains from Easton to Mauch Chunk connecting with the Philadelphia trains on the Belvidere Delaware Railroad. A daily freight train

5246-458: The DLS&S. Packer brought additional financing to the railroad, installed Robert H. Sayre as chief engineer, and renamed the company the "Lehigh Valley Railroad." Construction began in earnest in 1853, and the line opened between Easton and Allentown on June 11, 1855. The section between Allentown and Mauch Chunk opened on September 12. At Easton, the LVRR interchanged coal at the Delaware River where coal could be shipped to Philadelphia on

5368-490: The Easton and Amboy Railroad was opened for business on June 28, 1875, with hauling coal. The Easton and Amboy's operations were labeled the "New Jersey Division" of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The Easton and Amboy had already completed large docks and facilities for shipping coal at Perth Amboy upon an extensive tract of land fronting the Arthur Kill. Approximately 350,000 tons of anthracite moved to Perth Amboy during that year for transshipment by water. Operations continued until

5490-420: The Easton and Amboy in the 1870s, but desired a terminal on the Hudson River close to New York City . In New Jersey, the LVRR embarked on a decade-long legal battle with the CNJ over terminal facilities in Jersey City . The land that Asa Packer had obtained in 1872 was situated on the southern side of the Morris Canal's South Basin, but the CNJ already had its own facilities adjacent to that property and disputed

5612-403: The Erie), the first being the acquisition of the Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad. In 1887, the Lehigh Valley Railroad obtained a lease on the Southern Central Railroad (the LVRR previously had trackage rights on the railroad starting in 1870), which had a route from Sayre northward into the Finger Lakes region. At the same time, the LVRR organized the Buffalo and Geneva Railroad to build

5734-617: The Federal Superfund law. NS spent a total of $ 26 million for the cleanup. Derailments incidents also occurred in Pennsylvania in 2018, and in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023. A derailment happened in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, United States, on the afternoon of August 5, 2018, when the train was heading from New Jersey to Chicago. On February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying vinyl chloride , butyl acrylate , ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether derailed along Norfolk Southern Railways Fort Wayne Line in East Palestine, Ohio , United States. Emergency crews conducted

5856-403: The Jersey City terminal. Initially, the LVRR contracted with the CNJ for rights from Roselle to Jersey City, but the LVRR eventually finished construction to its terminal in Jersey City over the Newark and Roselle Railway , the Newark and Passaic Railway , the Jersey City, Newark, and Western Railway , and the Jersey City Terminal Railway . The LVRR's Newark and Roselle Railway in 1891 brought

5978-429: The LV to reach White Haven. In 1866, the LVRR purchased acquired the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad (originally the Quakake Railroad) and the North Branch Canal along the Susquehanna River, renaming it the Pennsylvania and New York Canal & Railroad Company (P&NY). The purchasing of the North Branch Canal saw an opportunity for a near monopoly in the region north of the Wyoming Valley . In 1866, two years after

6100-400: The LVRR acquired other large tracts of land starting at 13,000 acres (53 km ) in 1870, with an additional of 5,800 acres (23 km ) in 1872, and turned its eye toward expansion across New Jersey all the way to the New York City area. In 1870, the Lehigh Valley Railroad acquired trackage rights to Auburn, New York , on the Southern Central Railroad . The most important market in

6222-517: The LVRR began acquiring feeder railroads and merging them with its system. The first acquisitions were the Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company, which included a few hundred acres of coal land, and the Penn Haven and White Haven Railroad. The purchase of the Penn Haven and White Haven was the first step in expanding to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania . To reach Wilkes-Barre, the LVRR began constructing an extension from White Haven, Pennsylvania , to Wilkes-Barre. The Penn Haven and White Haven Railroad allowed

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6344-407: The LVRR began an extensive expansion into New York from Sayre, Pennsylvania (just southeast of Waverly) to Buffalo. Construction from Sayre to Buffalo was split into two projects, Sayre to Geneva, New York , and Geneva, which is located at the northern end of Seneca Lake ), to Buffalo. First, it purchased a large parcel of land in Buffalo, the Tifft farm, for use as terminal facilities, and obtained

6466-456: The LVRR purchased the National Docks Railway outright. The 1890s began with the completion of its terminals in Buffalo and Jersey City, and the establishment of a trunk line across New York state, the company soon became entangled in costly business dealings which ultimately led to the Packer family's loss of control. The coal trade was always the backbone of the business but was subject to boom and bust as competition and production increased and

6588-400: The LVRR purchased the Penn Haven & White Haven Railroad in 1864, and began constructing an extension from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre that was opened in 1867. By 1869, the LVRR owned a continuous track through Pennsylvania from Easton to Waverly. In the following year, the LVRR—a standard gauge railroad—completed arrangements with the Erie Railroad, at that time having a six-foot gauge, for

6710-451: The LVRR's bankruptcy in 1976. The marshalling yard is now the residential area known as Harbortown . Passenger traffic on the LVRR's Easton and Amboy connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) at Metuchen, New Jersey , and continued to the PRR'S Exchange Place terminus in Jersey City; that connection was discontinued in 1891 after the LVRR established its own route to Jersey City from South Plainfield. The Easton and Amboy Railroad

6832-411: The LVRR's title, which partly overlapped land the CNJ had filled for its own terminal. Finally in 1887 the two railroads reached a settlement, and construction of the LVRR's Jersey City freight yard began. The LVRR obtained a 5-year agreement to use the CNJ line to access the terminal, which opened in 1889. It fronted the Morris Canal Basin with a series of 600-foot (180 m) piers angling out from

6954-401: The Lehigh Valley Railroad to these metropolitan areas. By December 31, 1925, the railroad controlled 1,363.7 miles of road and 3,533.3 miles of track. By 1970, this had dwindled to 927 miles of road and 1963 miles of track. The first small repair shops for locomotives and cars were located in Delano, Wilkes-Barre, Weatherly, Hazleton, and South Easton. In 1902 these were mostly consolidated into

7076-429: The Lehigh Valley Railroad was absorbed into Conrail in 1976 and was downsized over the years in New York and Pennsylvania . The original Lehigh Line lost its existing tracks from Manville to Newark when Norfolk Southern Railway acquired it in the Conrail split with CSX Transportation in order for both Norfolk Southern and its competitor CSX to have equal competition in the Northeast. The Manville to Newark tracks became

7198-403: The Mahanoy basin. In 1875, the holdings were consolidated into the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, which was wholly owned by the LVRR. By 1893, the LVRR owned or controlled 53,000 acres (210 km ) of coal lands. With these acquisitions, the LVRR obtained the right to mine coal as well as transport it. The 1870s witnessed commencement of extension of the LVRR in a new direction. In the 1870s

7320-416: The NS-CSX application, effective August 22, 1998. NS acquired 58% of Conrail assets, including about 7,200 miles (11,600 km) of track, most of which was part of the former Pennsylvania Railroad . CSX got the remaining 42%. NS began operating its trains on its portion of the former Conrail network on June 1, 1999, closing out the 1990s merger era. Pennsylvania Lines LLC was a limited liability company

7442-400: The Newark Bay was bridged in 1892 by the Jersey City, Newark and Western Railway and connected to the National Docks Railway , which was partly owned by the LVRR and which reached the LVRR's terminal. In 1895, the LVRR constructed the Greenville and Hudson Railway parallel with the national docks in order to relieve congestion and have a wholly-owned route into Jersey City. Finally in 1900,

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7564-442: The Norfolk Southern Corporation, based in Atlanta , Georgia; it was headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia , until 2021. Norfolk Southern Corporation was incorporated in Virginia on July 23, 1980, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol NSC . The primary business function of Norfolk Southern Corporation is the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods across

7686-401: The Northeast passed South Plainfield, New Jersey ; the new tracks between South Plainfield and Newark became the new mainline and the old part of the line which extends from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy became a branchline. The line's new tracks to the Northeast was extended again to Jersey City, New Jersey but was later pushed back to Newark again. The original Lehigh Line and the rest of

7808-405: The Northeastern New Jersey in order to reach its freight yards without using the CNJ main line. The LVRR began construction of a series of railroads to connect the Easton and Amboy line (Easton and Amboy Railroad) to Jersey City. The first leg of the construction to Jersey City was the Roselle and South Plainfield Railway in 1888 which connected with the CNJ at Roselle for access over the CNJ to

7930-462: The Ohio derailment. Six months after the accident, contractors removed about 25 million gallons of wastewater and 80,000 tons of contaminated soil. By July 2023, NS spent $ 63 million to support the community, including about $ 18 million to reimburse families for housing, food and other expenses. Within eight months of the accident, Norfolk Southern removed more than 167,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 39 million gallons of tainted water from

8052-444: The South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company became the first to offer regularly scheduled passenger train service with the inaugural run of the Best Friend of Charleston in 1830. Another early predecessor, the Richmond & Danville Railroad (R&D), was formed in 1847 and expanded into a large system after the American Civil War under Algernon S. Buford . The R&D ultimately fell on hard times, and in 1894, it became

8174-417: The Southeast, East, and Midwest United States. The corporation further facilitates transport to the remainder of the United States through interchange with other rail carriers while also serving overseas transport needs by serving several Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports. As of February 2024, Norfolk Southern Corporation's total public stock value is $ 57.869. As of January 2024, Norfolk Southern's operating revenue

8296-406: The Southern Coal Field. That southern field held the largest reserves of anthracite in Pennsylvania and accounted for a large percentage of the total production. Through neglect, the Reading allowed the charter to lapse, and it was acquired by the Lehigh Valley, which immediately constructed the Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Railroad. The line gave the LVRR a route into Pottsville, Pennsylvania , and

8418-430: The actions of the cartel , and since coal was critical to commerce, Congress intervened in 1887 with the Interstate Commerce Act that forbade the roads from joining into such pools. Although the roads effectively ignored the Act and their sales agents continued to meet and set prices, the agreements were never effective for long. Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway ( reporting mark NS )

8540-446: The board's work to improve long-term shareholder value, hold management accountable, and improve safety and operational performance. Among the 13 nominees, two of them are for new independent directors— Richard H. Anderson , former CEO of Amtrak and Delta Air Lines, and Heidi Heitkamp , a former U.S. Senator. In 2023, retired Navy Admiral Philip Davidson, and Francesca DeBiase, former executive at McDonald's Corporation, were appointed to

8662-448: The board. In early spring of 2008, the state program manager for air quality planning in Georgia, Jimmy Johnston, had been talking to NS about voluntary upgrades to reduce the company's environmental impact. NS is upgrading 3,800 of its locomotives with new technology that is 73 percent more efficient than previous models. The new technology being put into the locomotives makes the ride more fuel efficient and reduces idle time. In 2009,

8784-519: The canal at Mauch Chunk to Wilkes-Barre. After the LVRR opened its line, the Lehigh & Susquehanna extended to Phillipsburg, New Jersey , and connected with the CNJ and the Morris and Essex Railroad in 1868. In 1871, the entire line from Phillipsburg to Wilkes-Barre was leased to the CNJ. For most of its length, it ran parallel to the LVRR. The LVRR found that the route of the Morris Canal

8906-435: The class action lawsuit includes compensation for residents and businesses in East Palestine and surrounding communities for personal injuries resulting from exposure to chemicals. Accepting payment from the rail company now would prevent homeowners from pursuing future litigations against Norfolk Southern. On September 25, 2024, the $ 600 million settlement was given final approval by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson , in

9028-457: The common stock of N&W to Southern, and Southern's name was changed to Norfolk Southern Railway Company. In 1998, Norfolk and Western was merged into Norfolk Southern Railway, forming one, united, railroad. Headquarters for the new NS were established in Norfolk, Virginia . The company suffered a slight embarrassment when the marble headpiece at the building's entrance was unveiled, which read "Norfork Southern Railway". A new headpiece replaced

9150-443: The communities within Norfolk Southern's service areas. By September 2023, Norfolk Southern had begun constructing a state-of-the-art railroad safety training center in East Palestine. With a budget of $ 20 million, this facility is designed to train first responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas on how to handle various railroad emergencies. October 2023 saw Norfolk Southern implementing cutting-edge technology with

9272-432: The company established the rail industry's first chief sustainability officer and published its first sustainability report in 2008. In 2021, Norfolk Southern set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 42% by 2034 and has already achieved a 6% reduction. The company is also upgrading 1,000 locomotives to enhance fuel efficiency and incorporating biofuels and renewable energy into its operations. Since 2019,

9394-728: The company introduced an experimental battery-electric switcher locomotive, NS 999 . This prototype locomotive was developed by Norfolk Southern in collaboration with the United States Department of Energy , the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pennsylvania State University . Norfolk Southern reduced core greenhouse gasses by 13.5% between 2019 and 2021. For its efforts, the company achieved recognition from USA Today's America's Climate Leaders 2023 and Forbes' Net Zero Leaders 2023. In November 2022, Norfolk Southern contributed $ 750,000 to

9516-531: The company's attempt to manufacture evidence by hiring a private firm to conduct tests outside of the NTSB process. The NTSB issued a report in June 2024 on its investigation into the derailment. NTSB's investigators found that Norfolk Southern gave incomplete and misleading information to the local incident commander following the derailment and chemical spill. The incident commander, based on this information, conducted

9638-582: The company's board. The division of organized labor on the issue surfaced in April. Labor was divided on the issue, which led to a proxy battle ahead of an annual shareholder meeting. Unions criticized investors' plans to replace Shaw and implement an industry operating model known as Precision Scheduled Railroading , saying such a model is "unrealistic." In the end, shareholders voted to keep Shaw as CEO, but voted in three new directors. Norfolk Southern Railway maintains its own railroad police force , tasked with enforcing laws and investigating incidents involving

9760-492: The company's property. The Norfolk Southern Police Department, based in Atlanta, operates across 22 states with special agents responsible for protecting employees, the public, company property, and freight. The department's Police Communications Center, also in Atlanta, functions 24/7, coordinating field operations. Officers receive state-mandated training to maintain certification, alongside additional annual training provided by

9882-442: The company, which was ultimately carried out in 1987 instead of a sale to one operator. NS again expressed interest in a Conrail purchase in 1994, but this time Conrail publicly stated it had no interest in selling to another company. The company began to reconsider this stance after several expansion initiatives failed. After confidential discussions, Conrail and CSX made a surprise announcement in October 1996 that CSX would acquire

10004-585: The company. Norfolk Southern was unwilling to let a CSX purchase go through, beginning a bidding war between the two competitors that was only resolved in January 1997 when an agreement was reached to split Conrail. NS and CSX applied to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for authority to purchase, divide, and operate the assets of Conrail in June 1997. On June 8, 1998, the STB approved

10126-608: The department. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as these officers are employed by the railroad and may prioritize protecting corporate interests over public safety. In 2023, an accident involving a Norfolk Southern train in Georgia severely injured Charlotte Cleary, a 14-year-old girl. This case became central to growing calls for reform and increased independent oversight of railroad policing practices. In November 2024, shots were fired at Norfolk Southern Railway police officers during an investigation of

10248-465: The derailment. According to the NTSB, Norfolk Southern obstructed the government's investigation into the derailment by withholding important safety information from first responders and local authorities. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy accused the company of threatening the board and obstructing the investigation by delaying or failing to provide critical information. Homendy described Norfolk Southern's behavior as “unconscionable” and “reprehensible,” citing

10370-524: The east was New York City, but the LVRR was dependent on the CNJ and the Morris Canal for transport to the New York tidewater. In 1871, the LVRR leased the Morris Canal, which had a valuable outlet in Jersey City on the Hudson River opposite Manhattan . Asa Packer purchased additional land at the canal basin in support of the New Jersey West Line Railroad , which he hoped to use as the LVRR's terminal. That project failed, but

10492-436: The economy cycled. The coal railroads had begun in 1873 to form pools to regulate production and set quotas for each railroad. By controlling supply, the coal combination attempted to keep prices and profits high. Several combinations occurred, but each fell apart as one road or another abrogated its agreement. The first such combination occurred in 1873, followed by others in 1878, 1884, and 1886. Customers naturally resented

10614-541: The erroneous one several weeks later. The system grew with the acquisition of over half of Conrail . The Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) was an 11,000-mile (18,000 km) system formed in 1976 from the Penn Central Railroad (1968–1976), and five other ailing northeastern railroads that were conveyed into it, forming a government-financed corporation. Conrail was perhaps the most controversial conglomerate in corporate history. Penn Central itself

10736-596: The hands of the LVRR in September 1876, which extended from the New York state line near Sayre, Pennsylvania , to Geneva, New York , a distance of 75 miles. On May 17, 1879, Asa Packer, the company's founder and leader, died at the age of 73. At the time of his death, the railroad was shipping 4.4 million tons of coal annually over 657 miles (1,057 km) of track, using 235 engines, 24,461 coal cars, and over 2,000 freight cars of various kinds. The company controlled 30,000 acres (120 km ) of coal-producing lands and

10858-445: The help of Atkins Nuclear Secured (ANS). The team, led by a former chief of the U.S. Navy's Nuclear Propulsion program and comprising several ex-Navy admirals, was tasked with evaluating and improving the railroad's safety protocols. That same month, CEO Alan Shaw, along with 12 union leaders, took a united stand on safety by issuing a joint letter. This letter emphasized their commitment to improving rail safety for both employees and

10980-405: The historic train depot, enhancing City Lake, improving the municipal water treatment plant, renovating East Palestine City Park, and establishing a First Responder Training Center. Residents in East Palestine affected by the Norfolk Southern train derailment have the option to join a class action lawsuit to potentially receive a portion of a $ 600 million settlement. The agreement-in-principle of

11102-595: The introduction of Digital Train Inspection Portals. The first of these portals, located between Leetonia and Columbiana, features 42 powerful lights and 38 high-definition cameras to capture detailed images of passing trains. These images are then analyzed by computers to detect any defects that might lead to derailments, marking a significant advancement in rail safety in the United States. Norfolk Southern's safety achievements in 2023 were notable. It

11224-466: The lands were later used for the LVRR's own terminal in 1889. The CNJ, anticipating that the LVRR intended to create its own line across New Jersey, protected itself by leasing the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad (L&S) to ensure a continuing supply of coal traffic. The L&S had been chartered in 1837 by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company (the Lehigh Canal company) to connect the upper end of

11346-654: The lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached a settlement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company in May 2024 to address the derailment. The settlement includes over $ 310 million for cleanup efforts, penalties, and future costs associated with the environmental impact. However, Norfolk Southern officials estimate that the company will end up paying over $ 1 billion to address contamination in East Palestine. The National Transportation Safety Board found that Norfolk Southern mishandled its response to

11468-483: The line from Roselle into Newark, where passengers connected to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Bridging Newark Bay proved difficult. The LVRR first attempted to obtain a right of way at Greenville , but the Pennsylvania Railroad checkmated them by purchasing most of the properties needed. Then the CNJ opposed the LVRR's attempt to cross its line at Caven Point . Finally after settling the legal issues,

11590-658: The navigable portion of the James River , now part of the independent city of Hopewell —and ran to Petersburg . It was acquired by the South Side Railroad in 1854. After the Civil War, it became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a trunk line across Virginia's southern tier formed by mergers in 1870 by William Mahone , who had built the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad in

11712-488: The opening of the line until May 1875, when a coal train first passed over the line. To support the expected increase in traffic, the wooden bridge over the Delaware River at Easton was also replaced by a double-tracked, 1,191-foot (363 m) iron bridge. At Perth Amboy, a tidewater terminal was built on the Arthur Kill comprising a large coal dock used to transport coal into New York City. These tracks were laid and

11834-907: The original Lehigh Line by having the Lehigh Valley Railroad-built tracks continues straight pass Manville as the original Lehigh Line. Also at Manville, the Conrail Lehigh Line connects to the CSX Transportation Trenton Subdivision which was once part of the Reading Railroad ; the Trenton Subdivision splits southward heading all the way to Philadelphia . The line shares track with New Jersey Transit 's Raritan Valley Line between Newark and Aldene Junction, and then parallels it closely between Bridgewater, New Jersey and Bound Brook, New Jersey . The Raritan Valley Line

11956-464: The purchase of the Penn Haven and White Haven, the extension from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre opened. Construction of a rail line to the New York state line started immediately and, in 1867, the line was complete from Wilkes-Barre to Waverly, New York , where coal was transferred to the broad gauge Erie Railroad and shipped to western markets through Buffalo, New York . To reach Wilkes-Barre,

12078-531: The railroad acquired land in northeast Pennsylvania and formed a subsidiary called The Glen Summit Hotel and Land Company. It opened a hotel in Glen Summit, Pennsylvania , called the Glen Summit Hotel to serve lunch to passengers traveling on the line. The hotel remained with the company until 1909, when it was bought by residents of the surrounding cottages. In New York State, s branch line,

12200-493: The railroad ended operations and merged into Conrail along with several northeastern railroads that same year. The Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad (DLS&S) was authorized by the Pennsylvania General Assembly on April 21, 1846, to construct a railroad from Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania , now Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, to Easton, Pennsylvania . The railroad would run parallel to

12322-461: The railroad was authorized to provide freight transportation of passengers, goods, wares, merchandise, and minerals in Pennsylvania . On September 20, 1847, the railroad was incorporated and established, initially called the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company . On January 7, 1853, the railroad's name was changed to Lehigh Valley Railroad. It was sometimes known as

12444-504: The release of oleum or fuming sulfuric acid . Roughly 2,600 residents were evacuated from nearby homes for three days until hazardous materials crews were able to mitigate the scene. No fatalities or major injuries were reported as a result of the derailment, but property damage and losses were calculated at $ 1.02 million. Seventeen people were injured. On January 6, 2005, a derailment in Graniteville, South Carolina , resulted in

12566-473: The rest of the 97-mile Geneva to Buffalo trackage, from Geneva to Lancaster. Finally, in 1889, the LVRR gained control of the Geneva, Ithaca, and Sayre Railroad and completed its line of rail through New York. As a result of its leases and acquisitions, the Lehigh Valley gained a near-monopoly on traffic in the Finger Lakes region. It also continued to grow and develop its routes in Pennsylvania. In 1883

12688-604: The route in New York state to Buffalo, considerably shortening the line. The majority of the Lehigh Line is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and retains much of its original route in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey , although it no longer goes into New York City. The former Lehigh Valley tracks between Manville, New Jersey , and Newark are operated separately by Conrail Shared Assets Operations as their own Lehigh Line . In 1976,

12810-585: The shops at Sayre, Pennsylvania on the New York State border, which featured a 750 by 336-foot machine shop with 48 erecting pits. The shops in Packerton, Pennsylvania , located in the Coal Region north of Allentown, served as the primary freight car shops. Conrail maintained the line as a main line into the New York metropolitan area , and the line became known as the Lehigh Line during Conrail's ownership of it. In 1976, Conrail abandoned most of

12932-511: The shoreline but was too narrow for a yard, so the LVRR built a separate yard at Oak Island in Newark to sort and prepare trains. The South Basin terminal was used solely for freight, having docks and car float facilities. Passengers were routed to the Pennsylvania Railroad's terminal and ferry. The LVRR strove throughout the 1880s to acquire its own route to Jersey City and to the Jersey City waterfront. The LVRR decided to expand more to

13054-409: The site. Norfolk Southern is continuing to collect 2,500 soil samples from the site to ensure all the contamination is gone. As of June 2024, Norfolk Southern contributed over $ 107 million in aid to East Palestine, including nearly $ 21 million paid out directly to residents whose lives were affected by the derailment. Norfolk Southern worked on several projects in East Palestine, including renovating

13176-464: The total. On December 12, 2018, Norfolk Southern announced that it would be leaving its hometown of Norfolk, Virginia after 38 years and relocating its headquarters to Atlanta , Georgia. The new Atlanta headquarters building opened on November 10, 2021. In June 2023, Norfolk Southern became the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide all its union workers sick time. In July 2023, Norfolk Southern announced plans to purchase

13298-864: The trunk line down the Lehigh Valley, with numerous feeder railroads connecting and contributing to its traffic. The production of the entire Middle Coal Field came to the LVRR over feeders to the Beaver Meadow: the Quakake Railroad , the Catawissa, Williamsport and Erie Railroad , the Hazleton Railroad , the Lehigh Luzerne Railroad and other smaller lines. At Catasauqua, the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad transported coal, ore, limestone and iron for furnaces of

13420-464: The workforce demands that nearly led to a nation-wide rail strike in December 2022. On December 6, 2022, Norfolk Southern announced a new service and growth plan that will ensure the company maintains its train crew levels during downturns. In 2024, an investor group led an effort to bring in a new leadership team at NS. The proposal would have removed Alan Shaw as CEO and replaced seven directors on

13542-518: Was absorbed into the parent Lehigh Valley Railroad. In 1875, the LVRR financed the addition of a third rail to the Erie Railroad main line so that cars could roll directly from colliery to the port at Buffalo. While the third rail on the Erie Railroad main line between Waverly and Buffalo gave the LVRR an unbroken connection to Buffalo, the road's management desired its own line into Buffalo. The Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad passed into

13664-579: Was based on misinterpreted evidence, contributing to unnecessary environmental harm. Norfolk Southern has made efforts to improve safety, launching several initiatives and programs to protect both their employees and local communities. In 2015, Norfolk Southern introduced the Operation Awareness & Response program, which trains around 5,000 first responders annually, equipping them with the knowledge to handle rail-related emergencies effectively. In early 2023, Norfolk Southern rolled out

13786-640: Was created by merging three venerable rivals—the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR, 1846), the New York Central Railroad (NYC, 1831), and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H, 1872)—as well as some smaller competitors. In 1980, Conrail became profitable after the Staggers Act largely deregulated the U.S. railroad industry. When the U.S. government offered up Conrail for sale in 1983, Norfolk Southern

13908-595: Was critical to the LVRR's shipments of coal to western markets and for receipt of grain sent by the West to eastern markets. Although in 1870 the LVRR had invested in the 2-mile (3.2 km) Buffalo Creek Railroad, which connected the Erie to the lakefront, and had constructed the Lehigh Docks on Buffalo Creek , it depended on the Erie Railroad for the connection from Waverly to Buffalo, New York . In 1882,

14030-576: Was elected president, a position he held for 13 years. The 1880s continued to be a period of growth, and the LVRR made important acquisitions in New York, expanded its reach into the southern coal field of Pennsylvania which had hitherto been the monopoly of the Reading, and successfully battled the CNJ over terminal facilities in Jersey City . In 1880, the LVRR established the Lehigh Valley Transportation Line to operate

14152-528: Was expanding rapidly into New York and New Jersey. The railroad had survived the economic depression of 1873 and was seeing its business recover. Leadership of the company transferred smoothly to Charles Hartshorne, who had been vice president under Packer. In 1883, Hartshorne retired to allow Harry E. Packer, Asa's 32-year-old youngest son, to assume the Presidency. A year later, Harry Packer died of illness, and Asa's 51-year-old nephew Elisha Packer Wilbur

14274-436: Was formed in 1998 to own Conrail lines assigned to Norfolk Southern in the split of Conrail; operations were switched over on June 1, 1999. The company is named after the old Pennsylvania Railroad , whose old main line was a line of the new company. In November, 2003, the Surface Transportation Board approved a plan allowing Norfolk Southern to fully absorb Pennsylvania Lines LLC, which was done on August 27, 2004. In 2016,

14396-543: Was impractical for use as a railroad line, so in 1872 the LVRR purchased the dormant charter of the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook Railroad which had access to the Perth Amboy, New Jersey , harbor, and added to it a new charter, the Bound Brook and Easton Railroad. The State of New Jersey passed legislation that allowed the LVRR to consolidate its New Jersey railroads into one company; the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook and

14518-464: Was inherited by Norfolk Southern Railway in 1999 but it did not include the Manville to Newark tracks. The line began operations in 1999 when the existing tracks from Manville to Newark automatically broke away from the original Lehigh Line when Norfolk Southern Railway acquired the original Lehigh Line in the Conrail split between NS and CSX Transportation . The original Lehigh Line (which

14640-409: Was once part of the original Lehigh Line which is still in existence; the original Lehigh Line is owned by Norfolk Southern Railway . For historical purposes, the Manville to Newark tracks is considered a new rail line and not the original line and the Norfolk Southern part is considered the original line and not a new rail line. At CP Port Reading Junction in Manville, the Conrail Lehigh Line connects

14762-497: Was one of the 18 bidders to make offers. The government decided the NS offer was the best choice, and by 1985 had begun planning to sell Conrail to NS. Extensive opposition from competitors, particularly CSX, persuaded the government that selling Conrail to one railroad would create too powerful of a company. As an alternative, Conrail leader (and former Southern Railway CEO) L. Stanley Crane proposed an initial public offering to privatize

14884-486: Was put into operation leaving Easton in the morning and returning in the evening. In the early part of October 1855, a contract was made with Howard & Co. of Philadelphia to do the freighting business of the railroad (except coal, iron, and iron ore). The length of the line from Mauch Chunk to Easton was 46 miles of single track. The line was laid with a rail weighing 56 pounds per yard supported upon cross ties 6 x 7 inches and 7-1/2 feet long placed 2 feet apart and about

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