CSX unveils first responder info system; CN earns sustainability honors; UP police garner accreditation

CSX Corp. has introduced a mobile information system designed to enhance first responders' ability to access train and cargo information in real time via their mobile devices.

The "CSX Operation Respond" program is designed to provide firefighters, police officers and other emergency responders with mobile access to critical information that supports safe and accurate responses to emergencies, CSX officials said in a press release. The new program was developed by CSX's public safety and technology teams and Operation Respond Institute, a real-time rail information provider.

CSX Operation Respond enables first responders to securely access information about hazardous materials being transported by any individual CSX train using a wireless device, laptop or desktop computer. A graphically displayed train list helps locate and identify contents of cars carrying hazardous materials.

"CSX Operation Respond, the first program of its kind among Class I railroads, is an important new component of our continuing efforts to advance the company's first priority: the safety of communities, employees and customers' freight," said Skip Elliott, CSX's vice president of public safety, health and environment.

Meanwhile, CN announced yesterday that its sustainability practices helped the Class I garner a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI) for the third consecutive year. CN also is listed on the DJSI North America Index for the sixth-straight year.

Dow Jones surveys sustainability leaders from each industry on a global and regional level, and bases the rankings on an analysis of corporate governance, risk management, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards, corporate citizenship, stakeholder engagement and labor practices.

CN's sustainability achievements include fuel efficiency — the Class I uses 15 percent less fuel per gross ton-mile than the rail industry average — and its EcoConnexions From the Ground Up program that aims to engage communities by sponsoring tree-planting projects, CN officials said in a press release.

"We are committed to building on what we have achieved to minimize our impact on the environment, while providing cleaner, more sustainable transportation modes to our customers," said CN President and Chief Executive Officer Claude Mongeau.

Also yesterday, Union Pacific Railroad announced that its police and security team recently earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (CALEA). Currently, only 17 percent of U.S. law enforcement agencies have earned the accreditation, UP officials said in a press release.

CALEA is a systematic process that internally reviews and assesses policies and procedures to meet internationally accepted standards. Since the first CALEA Accreditation Award granted in 1984, the program has become the primary method to voluntarily demonstrate a commitment to excellence in law enforcement.

During the three-year accreditation process, UP's team was required to meet 188 standards. The Class I employs more than 200 special agents who have primary jurisdiction over crimes committed against the railroad.

"The CALEA accreditation process allowed us to reflect on and strengthen departmental processes," said UP Chief of Police Bob Morrison.