Norfolk Southern Expands 'Railroad University' Operations Training Center

Norfolk Southern Corporation

today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion of its "Railroad University" and redoubled its commitment to superior transportation services for its present and future rail customers. "This facility is all about investing in our people," CEO Wick Moorman said. "The better we equip and train our conductors, engineers, and other craft and supervisory employees to do their jobs safely and efficiently, the more opportunity we have to achieve and surpass the level of service our customers expect and that we commit to provide." Moorman, President Jim Squires, Executive Vice President Administration Cindy Earhart, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Manion were among the first to tour a newly constructed building on the center's campus at McDonough, Ga., just south of Atlanta. The two-story expansion effectively doubles the training center's classroom space, from 27,000 to 50,000 square feet. Today, even as some of the training center's 21 staff members hosted tours in the new building, others provided instruction for close to 400 employees next door. The number of students could grow to 900 in the near future as the new building is occupied. Employees in the new space will receive enhanced technology-enabled interactive instruction, including use of tablets, touch screens, and simulation training. "After their classroom and practical experiences at the training center, employees go on assignment with the tools and perspective to make immediate contributions to the success of a 21^st century railroad and the customers and communities that depend on us," said Dominik Browne, manager of the facility. When it opened in December 1974, the center was the rail industry's first dedicated facility for training and educating employees and quickly was dubbed "RRU" or "Railroad University." Over the last 40 years, the career path for Norfolk Southern conductors, engineers, track and signal workers, and others has gone through McDonough and on to field locations throughout the company's 22-state rail network. Prior expansions at McDonough included classroom space for supervisory and management courses in addition to technical training. Outside, 4 miles of track and a four-track rail yard complete with rolling stock give students opportunity to take their classroom instruction into a real operating environment.