LANCASTER, Pa., Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a private ceremony today attended by Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) CEO Wick Moorman, Lt. Governor Jim Cawley, State Senator Tommy Tomlinson, Drexel University President John Fry, and numerous government and business officials, family and friends, NS renamed its Dillerville Yard here in honor of H. Craig Lewis. After serving as state senator for the 6th District in Bucks County for five terms (1975-1994), Lewis joined NS as vice president corporate affairs in 1997, retiring from the railroad in 2009. He died unexpectedly earlier this year.

"Because of his experience and respect from both sides of the aisle in Harrisburg, Craig was a key part of our integration of Conrail's assets in Pennsylvania in the late 1990s," said Moorman. "He later led our passenger and transit policy team and managed many complex projects, including the sale of Conrail's Boonton Line to New Jersey Transit and the NS phase of the Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project. Craig brought energy, creativity, and humor to every initiative and was able to bring diverse perspectives together in a collaborative manner. Dedicating our yard in Lancaster in honor of Craig is a fitting tribute."

"As a state senator, Craig Lewis dedicated himself to community service and economic development," said Cawley. "That is why Norfolk Southern could not have selected a more appropriate project to dedicate to his memory."

"Craig was a fine man who honorably served his district and constituents," said Tomlinson. "I am proud to have followed his legacy in the Senate and to have called him my friend."

"Craig was a dear friend and a trusted colleague. He quickly grasped the strategic importance of the Northwest Gateway Project for the City of Lancaster, Franklin & Marshall College, and Lancaster General Health," said Fry. "He became our partner in addressing the many technical and logistical hurdles involved with making this project a reality. I am very pleased that Norfolk Southern has chosen to honor Craig for his service to their company and to this community by naming this rail facility the H. Craig Lewis Yard."

The expansion of Lewis Yard began in early 2009 following several years of studies and design and will be completed next month. The yard expansion is part of the Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project, a $75 million plan to remediate and redevelop approximately 75 acres of urban brownfields to enhance economic development opportunities in the City of Lancaster by connecting the city street grid system, creating urban green spaces, and providing campus development sites for Franklin & Marshall College and Lancaster General Health on land formerly owned by Armstrong World Industries and NS. The final segment of the Gateway Project will begin in the spring of 2014 when the railroad transfers ownership of approximately 28 acres of its yard east of Dillerville Road to Franklin & Marshall and Lancaster General. This work is expected to take 12 months to complete. 

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company 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, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation