Norfolk to invest $10M to $15M - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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The project, expected to be completed next year, will involv construction of a 18,420-square-foot repairr facility and a 14,350-square-foot fueling station. Norfolko Southern’s Inman Yard services about 1,500 locomotived a month, because of the volumee of trains that roll throughthe region, said Tim a vice president at Norfolko Southern. “Atlanta is one of our major intermodall hubs,” Heilig said. The city has a long historg as atransportation hub. Its airport, three interstate rail lines and proximity to the portzs of Savannah and Brunswick make it a focal pointr for thelogistics industry, whichj manages the delivery of products from factorieds to stores.
Norfolk Southern is a majodr logistics player in The company employsabout 2,500 in the region, where it has its operationapl headquarters. Atlanta is part of Norfolk Southern’z “Golden Triangle” — which includes high-traffic centerxs in Chicago and Harrisburg, Pa. The Goldejn Triangle accounts for the majorityof Norfolk’s $2 billionm intermodal business. The Inman Yard upgrade will augment Norfolk’a expansion of its intermodal freight-handling capacity betweejn New York and New also known as theCrescenr Corridor.
Once the decade-long Crescent Corridor expansion is Norfolk expects to operate 20 to 30 additional intermodal traindsper day, taking up to 1 million trucks per year off the highway. Customers will be majot trucking companies, who use rail extensively to move loads betweenh cities and would use it more if the capacitywere available. Evaporated consumer confidence has takej some momentum out of thelogisticws business. Norfolk Southern saw its profits dive 39 percent in the firsr quarter on a 22 percent dropin revenue. The Va.-based firm’s overall freight volume is down abou20 percent, spokesman Robijn Chapman said.
“I don’t remember a time when our trafficc has fallenso precipitously,” he said. “The railroades move the goods that the country consumewand produces. When fewer goodsa are moving, our business is down.” Norfolk’es planned local investment is a bet onthe “Having the [upgraded] automotive facility will position Atlantaz to better handle more freight once volumes pick Heilig said. It’s also an investment long overdue. The Inman Yard facility is about 52yearsw old. “It’s time for an upgrade both in terms of efficiency and as far as the environmenyis concerned,” Heilig said.
The new facilityu will include arepair center, fuelintg center and a turntable, a contraption used to turn The new yard will have an assembly-like feel, Heilig servicing and fueling engines with minimal