NS earns best-ever carbon disclosure score, awards construction contract for intermodal facility expansion

Norfolk Southern Corp. yesterday announced it achieved its best-ever score in the CDP's 2013 S&P 500 and Global 500 climate change reports, which grade large U.S. and global companies on how well they measure and manage their carbon footprint.

The Class I scored a 90 for carbon disclosure on a 0-100 scale, a 2 percent improvement versus its 2012 score of 88 and the highest score in the six years NS has participated in the voluntary CDP survey.

Of 44 U.S. industrial-sector corporations in the CDP's S&P 500 report, NS was among 14 that scored 90 or higher on carbon disclosure. In addition, the Class I's 2013 performance grade was a B, matching its 2012 and 2011 grades.

"As a responsible corporate citizen, Norfolk Southern strives to continuously improve the way we manage potential environmental impacts of our business operations, and we are pleased that this year's disclosure score reflects those efforts," said Blair Wimbush, NS' vice president of real estate and corporate sustainability officer, in a press release.

At 2012's end, the railroad accomplished nearly 69 percent of its goal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 10 percent per revenue ton-mile between 2009 and 2014. The company has invested in locomotive fuel-saving technologies, more efficient lighting and energy systems in rail facilities, and network improvements designed to increase route capacity and fluidity, NS officials said. For example, the Class I is spending about $30 million to equip road locomotives with Locomotive Engineer Assistant Display Event Recorder (LEADER®) GPS-based computer systems, which are designed to help engineers achieve maximum fuel efficiency.

Meanwhile, NS has awarded  a two-year, multi-million-dollar contract to Michael Baker Jr. to provide construction management and inspection services for the expansion of the railroad's Rutherford Intermodal Facility near Harrisburg, Pa.

The project is designed to double the facility's capacity. The scope of work includes 405,000 cubic yards of earthwork, sub-grade preparation for track building, drainage structures, 84,000 square yards of roller compacted concrete, a cast-in-place concrete retaining wall and reinforced soil slope wall, and high-mast lighting and security equipment installations.

Michael Baker Jr. will work with NS' Maintenance-of-Way Department to coordinate the installation of 37 switches, 46,000 feet of track and 47,000 tons of ballast.