Carving Connections: How Norfolk Southern and Ohio’s “Squashcarver” Bring Halloween to Life

When it comes to Halloween spirit, Columbus, Ohio’s own Gus "@Squashcarver" Smithhisler knows how to make it shine — one pumpkin at a time. A self-taught artist, engineer, and longtime pumpkin grower, Gus has spent more than two decades transforming oversized gourds into jaw-dropping works of art.

This year, Gus took on one of his most ambitious carvings yet: a detailed Norfolk Southern locomotive – the NS 1031, a nod to October 31. The real locomotive is in service and part of the NS fleet. Gus’s glowing pumpkin version captures the same energy, power, and motion that define the railroads he sees rolling through his community every day.

Before the first jack-o’-lantern flickers or a single costume hits the streets, NS railroaders are already hard at work — moving the goods that bring the Halloween season to life:

• Pumpkins: We’ve moved 89 tons of fresh pumpkins over the past two years — enough to decorate more than 4.6 million homes.
• Candles: Over 250 tons of candles — lighting millions of carved pumpkins and haunted houses.
• Candy: Enough candy to fill the bags of more than 36 million trick-or-treaters.
• Costumes: We transport enough fabric to make more than 10 million costumes every year, from superheroes to witches and everything in between.
• Apples: the ingredients to make over 5.5 million sticky-sweet caramel apples every year.

Together, it’s proof that behind every flickering jack-o’-lantern, sweet treat, and costume stitch is the steady movement of NS trains — powering the traditions that keep the season moving.

For Gus, it takes patience, precision, and pride to carve a masterpiece. For Team NS, it takes the same to move the materials that make Halloween happen. Different crafts, same spirit — both carving connections across the country every fall.

CARVE YOUR OWN NS PUMPKIN

Bring a little rail power to your front porch with our NS 1031 locomotive pumpkin carving template, inspired by @squashcarver’s design. DOWNLOAD HERE