NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Donald D. Graab has been named vice president mechanical for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC), headquartered in Atlanta, effective March 1. He will be responsible for maintenance and repair of the railroad's motive power and rolling stock. Graab succeeds Tim A. Heilig, who retires after 41 years with Norfolk Southern.

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Graab began his railroad career in 1975 as a management trainee in the mechanical department of Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. He joined Norfolk and Western Railway Company (a Norfolk Southern predecessor) in 1978 as a training instructor and advanced through a number of positions in the mechanical department and was named assistant vice president mechanical in 2007. He holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering from Purdue University and a master's degree in Business from Lynchburg College.

Heilig, a graduate of Georgia Tech, joined Southern Railway Company (a Norfolk Southern predecessor) in 1971 and served in management information, intermodal, engineering, mechanical and transportation positions before being named vice president mechanical in 2006.

"Tim Heilig's leadership of the mechanical department enabled Norfolk Southern to achieve remarkable technological progress and efficiencies in our rolling stock fleet," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "We're grateful for his decades of outstanding service, and we wish him well."

Norfolk Southern Corporation 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