NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) has reported its carbon performance and strategic efforts in the past year to lower the railroad's greenhouse gas emissions, driving improved operating efficiencies and customer service.

The company's seventh annual public disclosure to CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project, describes investments in technologies and network improvements reducing the railroad's carbon footprint while expanding freight capacity and providing fuel- and cost-efficient customer service. The disclosure also charts progress on the company's five-year goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 10 percent per revenue ton-mile, reaching nearly 79 percent of goal with one year remaining.  

"Our CDP disclosure is driven by the company's commitment to be accountable and transparent in how we address environmental impacts of our operations," said Blair Wimbush, vice president real estate and corporate sustainability officer. "Today's environmental issues, such as climate change, offer complex challenges as well as opportunities for businesses and communities, and Norfolk Southern is fully engaged in achieving successful outcomes."

Norfolk Southern describes key strategic initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They include:

• Expanding its LEADER train-handling initiative, a GPS-based technology that in 2013 saved an estimated 10 million gallons of diesel fuel and reduced locomotive GHG emissions by an estimated 110,500 metric tons.
• Purchasing new, more fuel-efficient locomotives and upgrading older locomotives with reconditioned engines that boost fuel economy and are cleaner burning.
• Investing in network improvements to increase freight rail capacity, providing customers with truck-competitive service that reduces their supply chain carbon footprint and eases highway congestion.
• Improving building operating efficiencies by installing more energy-efficient lights and HVAC systems at railroad facilities.
• Exploring locomotive fuel alternatives, including battery power and natural gas.

To learn more about Norfolk Southern's efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of its business operations, view the railroad's CDP filing and 2014 sustainability report.

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