CSX honored for national defense support

CSX has been selected as a recipient of the National Defense Transportation Association's (NDTA) 2017 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of the railroad's "invaluable support of the organization's goals and aims."

The NDTA is a nonpolitical, nonprofit educational association that works to benefit national security and defense by sharing information about logistics, transportation and passenger travel services.

CSX transports tanks, tactical vehicles and other vital materials and equipment to U.S. military bases. The Class I also employs thousands of military veterans; currently, 17 percent of its workforce has served or is serving in the armed forces, CSX officials said in a press release.

The railroad's support of the nation's military dates back to the 1800s through its predecessor, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In World War I and II, the railroad played a critical role in transporting materials for manufacturing ships, planes, weapons and military vehicles, and transporting troops to military installations and departure points for deployment.

"The ability to execute 'at the speed of war' is just as true today of CSX," said Michael Rutherford, vice president of industrial products at CSX. "Precision scheduled railroading, with its commitment to executing at high standards with a sense of urgency, reinforces the value that CSX brings to our men and women in uniform."