Just in:
Norfolk Southern to assume operations of the Delaware and Hudson from CP Rail (05-04-2004) - Several Norfolk Southern Officials have confirmed that NS will assume operations of the D&H from CP Rail in the near future! How this will affect the immediate Engineers roster is not known at this time. Based on prior acquisitions, assume that the D&H Engineers will be "dove tailed" into the Nickel Plate BT Roster.Here is what the NS officials have indicated:
* Operations are to be assumed somewhere around September 2004.
* SK Yard to be absorbed and included into the NS Buffalo operations.
* East Binghamton Yard to be assumed into the NS Binghamaton operations.
* NS to operate the Canadian Pacific Freight Main Line between Montreal, Ontario and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as well as other D&H locations.
This information comes from the current events page of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, Seneca Division 659.
What does this mean? Well, it means that my favorite modern railway will be reclaiming America's oldest transportation company from the clutches of the Canadians. Interestingly enough, one of Norfolk Southern's corporate predecessors (the Norfolk & Western Railway) once held the reins to the D&H via the DERECO subsidiary, which was set up in the late 1960s as a way to help stabilize the Northeastern railroad situation.
As for the corporate existence of the D&H, I don't know what NSC will do with it. Continuous operations since 1827 or so probably won't mean anything to the gimlet-eyed men and women at 3 Commercial Place (but it might!) and so the future is all black and white for the D&H. This does, however, mean that the NSRy will have improved access to Canada, and that's always a good thing. It ought to improve their position vis-a-vis CSX, whose access to Canada has been better for several years.
I hope it's true, and furthermore, I hope that Norfolk Southern does something positive for the line. Updates as I get 'em.
Posted by Country Pundit at May 5, 2004 05:43 PM