Midyear report: Norfolk Southern advancing safety

Core Insights - Norfolk Southern Corporation has released its 2024 Midyear Safety Report, showcasing significant advancements in railroad safety and a commitment to employee and community safety [1][2] Safety Achievements - The company has collaborated with leaders of 12 labor unions to enhance safety through initiatives like the Signal Safety Collaboration program [3] - Over 2,300 Kenwood and Icom model antennas have been ordered to improve communication among crew members [3] - The "Walk with a Purpose" program has provided work boot vouchers to nearly 40% of the workforce within the first two weeks of its launch [3] Operational Performance - Norfolk Southern helps customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by utilizing rail transport [3] - The company delivers more than 7 million carloads annually, with a focus on various sectors including agriculture and consumer goods [3] - It has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., connecting to major container ports on the Atlantic coast and other significant ports [3] Safety Plan Progress - The company is advancing its Six-Point Safety Plan, collaborating with unions and implementing feedback from an independent safety consultant [4] - 187 out of a planned 259 hot bearing detector systems have been installed [4] - Three digital train inspection portals featuring machine learning technology have been launched, with a goal of 20 systems operational by the end of 2026 [4] Safety Metrics Improvement - The number of mainline accidents was reduced by 30% in 2023, positioning the company among the best of Class I railroads [8] - The FRA Personal Injury Index decreased from 1.51 in 2020 to 1.09 in 2023, nearly 14% lower than the 10-year average [8] - Employee accidents have been lowered by 28% since 2020 [8]