NS facilitated industrial development worth $4 billion in 2016

Norfolk Southern Corp. assisted 71 businesses in locating or expanding facilities along the Class I's rail lines last year.

The projects represented an investment worth $4 billion by NS customers, which are expected to generate more than 50,000 carloads of new rail traffic annually, according to an NS press release.

"We were pleased to see a steady stream of manufacturing projects and a markedly stronger portfolio overall near the end of the year, and that is an encouraging indicator for activity in the coming year," said Jason Reiner, assistant vice president industrial development. "Sixteen manufacturing-related projects contributed nearly $2 billion in new investment by customers and 3,000 new jobs during 2016."

NS works with state and local economic development authorities on projects involving site location and development of infrastructure to connect customers to its rail system. The railroad also provides free and confidential facility location services, including industrial park planning, site layout, track design, and supply chain analysis, NS officials said.

During the past 10 years, the company's industrial development department has assisted in the location and expansion of 945 facilities representing an investment of more than $60 billion.