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Norfolk Southern Corp. recently presented its 2003 Thoroughbred Award to Don Cregger, manager of project engineering, research and tests.

The award recognizes an employee whose contributions to the railroad have a long-term impact at NS.

Cregger helped develop and deploy SoyTrak™, a soybean-based rail lubricant. He worked with officials from the University of Northern Iowa’s agricultural-based industrial lubricants program to refine the lubricant to more effectively reduce rail wear.

"Don's work with the university’s research team brought a product that not only reduces rail wear by 20 percent, it’s also biodegradable and is produced from soybeans grown in Iowa," said John Samuels, NS senior vice president of operations planning and support, in NS' monthly newsletter.

Seven other NS employees were nominated for the award:
• Terry Kidd, an electronic engineer for Unified Train Control Systems, communications and signals, for helping improve dispatching in Fort Wayne, Ind.;
• Brian Gwin and Rob Helmick, automotive group product managers, for helping reduce General Motors Corp.'s auto parts transit time to Mexico;
• Robyn Louderback, product manager, and John Reilly, account manager, at MODALGISTICS® for diverting truck traffic to rail;
• Brad Yeatts, product manager-merchandise, for streamlining and improving NS' short-line payment process; and
• Chris Buttermore, general foreman, mechanical, for helping to safely transport nuclear waste.