NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car rolls out of the company's Juniata Shops this week for a multistate public tour, newly equipped with enhanced displays showcasing the railroad transportation network.

The Exhibit Car is a restored 1926 Pullman passenger car that was converted to a mobile museum in 1971. In its 40 years of service as a display car, it has traveled to hundreds of cities across Norfolk Southern's railway system and has been viewed by more than 1.5 million people.

The car took a break from its tour schedule this summer for installation of high-definition monitors, digital players, a new audio system, and other upgrades to enhance the experience for guests. New backlit panels illustrate the variety of freight commodities Norfolk Southern transports across its 22-state network, opening up worlds of possibilities for the railroad's communities and customers. A diorama brings added realism to a continuously running model train showing the types of rail cars in the Norfolk Southern fleet for serving the diverse needs of the American economy.

Everyone's favorite display – the locomotive simulator – remains in the car, complete with throttle, brake, and horn putting guests in control of a virtual freight train. Upgrades to the car were completed at Norfolk Southern's Juniata Shops at Altoona, Pa., one of the largest railroad mechanical complexes in the world.

The Exhibit Car will tour from now through November on the following schedule:

• Sept. 24: Inman, S.C., 30th Annual Harvest Day Festival
• Sept. 30, Oct. 1: Gordon, Ga., Fall Line Festival
• Oct. 8, 9: Appomattox, Va., Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival
• Oct. 15, 16, 22, 23: Winnsboro, S.C., South Carolina Railroad Museum Steam Train Event
• Nov. 3-6: Duluth, Ga., Southeastern Railway Museum Model Train Days
• Nov. 18-20; Strasburg, Pa., Thomas The Tank Engine at Strasburg Railroad

Prior to its summer break for upgrades, the Exhibit Car made several other stops, visiting the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum at Chattanooga, Tenn., for National Train Day; the Virginia Museum of Transportation on Roanoke Rail Day; Pulaski, Va., for rededication of the town's restored railway station; and Windber, Pa., for the Rosebud Mining Coal Miners' Memorial Weekend.

"It was amazing having the Exhibit Car here," said Bev Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. "People loved it, and from a museum perspective, it was extremely well done. This really helped make our day."

Norfolk Southern provides the Exhibit Car at no cost for community events throughout its service territory. To request the car for 2012, click here.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation