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For the first time in its eight-year history, the annual Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence has two winners. On Monday at the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association’s (AREMA) annual conference in Louisville, Ky., AREMA Treasurer Michael Franke presented the award to CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corp. to honor their post-Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.

Established in 1999, the award recognizes outstanding achievement in railway engineering. AREMA officials choose CSXT and NS as winners because both railroads quickly repaired miles of twisted track and several heavily damaged or destroyed bridges along the Gulf Coast, yet reported only one minor injury, said Franke.

NS reinstalled damaged rail and missing ties on the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge, and removed 5,500 fallen trees along its lines in and around New Orleans. CSXT repaired 100 track miles between Pascagoula, Miss., and New Orleans, and restored or replaced six bridges, including the Bay St. Louis Bridge, which was washed away down to its concrete piers.

Also during the conference, AREMA President Brian Abbott noted attendance would fall just short of the association’s projection of 1,435 attendees and AREMA Senior Vice President J. Chris Dodge would succeed Abbott as president after the event ends today.

— Jeff Stagl