NORFOLK, Va., May 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern will join more than 200 communities across the country during Amtrak's seventh annual National Train Day to celebrate why "trains matter" to our economy.

On May 10, a variety of local train stations, railroad museums, and other venues will host activities and exhibits that highlight the past, present, and future of trains and travel. Norfolk Southern's newly renovated Exhibit Car and an Operation Lifesaver engine will be on display at Union Station in St. Louis from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives from Norfolk Southern and Operation Lifesaver will be on hand to discuss the equipment and talk about modern freight-rail operations.

"National Train Day in St. Louis is a great opportunity for the local community to connect with our industry and see how it impacts their daily lives," said Darrell Wilson, NS' assistant vice president government relations.

Norfolk Southern's Exhibit Car illustrates how people and technology support the company's vision to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful transportation company in the world. A restored passenger coach, the Exhibit Car has been in operation since 1971. The car houses interactive exhibits about the history and operations of the Norfolk Southern system.

Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit organization started in 1972 that provides free educational programs across the U.S. to prevent collisions, injuries, and fatalities along railroad tracks and grade crossings. Norfolk Southern works together with Operation Lifesaver to promote highway-rail and pedestrian safety along NS rail routes.

In addition to the St. Louis celebration, Norfolk Southern will host a booth at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and display a locomotive at Union Station in Chicago.

Norfolk Southern's freight traffic operates daily on St. Louis lines. During 2013, NS handled 313,678 containers and 95,471 carloads of freight through Missouri.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) 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