From Port to Porch: Team NS Powers Peak Season 2025

By Katie Byrd, Assistant Director Executive Communications, and Parker Whidby, Senior Social Media Manager

Intermodal train rolling through Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA

Key Takeaways

• Safety and service reliability are essential, supported by a tactical, 24/7 playbook to keep shipments moving on time.
• Team NS delivers 60–96 million packages during Peak Season — nearly double our weekly average.
• Parcel volumes surge up to 60%, driving higher train starts, fuller terminals, and nonstop coordination.

While the world winds down for the holidays, Team NS gears up to deliver them. The six weeks of Peak Season — from Thanksgiving to Christmas — is our championship stretch.

We’re always the backbone of the supply chain, but the holidays are a time of year when our mission becomes even more tangible and recognizable.

Peak Season isn’t just about moving more freight. It’s about moving what matters: gifts for family and friends, inventory for small businesses, and the essentials that keep communities running strong through the busiest shopping season of the year.

From the moment a container arrives at an East Coast port to the package landing on a front porch, our network connects the dots — linking terminals, distribution hubs, and communities in a seamless flow.

A SEASON OF SCALE

Peak Season brings a surge unlike anything else on the calendar:

• In a typical week, NS moves 5–7 million packages.
• During Peak Season, that number doubles to 10–16 million packages weekly.
• Over six weeks, our railroaders will deliver an incredible 60–96 million packages across our network.

Port of Savannah in Savannah, GA

Throughout Peak Season, our teams can see as much as a 60% increase in parcel volumes compared to the rest of the year. That sequential surge means more shipments moving through busy terminals, longer trains running along key routes, and our people working tirelessly around the clock to ensure packages arrive safely and on time.

THE EXECUTION

Norris Yard in Birmingham, AL

Preparing for the holiday rush is no small feat. It doesn’t happen by chance — it’s built on tactical precision and cross-functional collaboration. Here’s how our teams prepare and perform:

1. Terminal & Equipment Readiness

• Strategic container allocation at key ramps like Croxton, Calumet, Cincinnati, and Harrisburg.
• Empty container repositioning plans to ensure equipment is available where demand is highest.
  
  

2. Train Plan Optimization

• Additional train starts to support peak volume, including premium intermodal lanes.
• Supervisory sign-off on train readiness and consist quality checks.
• Deployment of mechanical response trucks and refresher training for reliability.

3. Precision ETA’s

• Blume integration and API advancements for real-time shipment visibility.
  
  

4. Locomotive Reliability

• PICO (Premium Intermodal Check Outs) ensure only the most reliable units serve peak trains.
• Smart Fault Analysis and remote diagnostics used to preempt issues before departure.
• Gold carding and distributed power health checks to maximize availability.
  
  

5. Communication & Exception Handling

• Daily coordination between our team and customers.
• Process redundancies from start to finish to ensure accuracy.
• Onsite assistance at terminals to support drivers and resolve issues quickly.
• Real-time updates on shipment exceptions and proactive recovery protocols.
  
  

6. Safety & Security

NSPD Special Agent Mckinnor and K9 Thorr patrolling at Inman Yard in Atlanta, GA

• Layered deterrence strategy with AI-triggered alerts, rapid deployment, and evidence capture for enhanced yard security and situational awareness.
• Coordination with NSPD, local law enforcement, and security teams to prevent cargo theft.
• Use of LiveView cameras, IoT sensors, and drones for enhanced yard security and situational awareness.

ALL HANDS-ON DECK

Network Operations Center

It takes every person on Team NS to deliver the holidays. Behind the scenes, teams across Transportation, Intermodal Terminal Operations, Engineering, Mechanical, the Network Operations Center (NOC), Network Design & Optimization, Customer Logistics, and Commercial work together 24/7 to coordinate efforts, overcome challenges, and deliver a successful Peak Season.

There’s a unique energy during this time of year, a shared purpose that ignites our team and drives us to rise to the challenge. Every railroader knows what’s at stake and brings their A-game because every second and every delivery counts.

Rain. Snow. Tight timelines. Record volumes. We’re ready for it all. Every train, every package, every mile — NS is proud to keep the holidays safely on track.

Katie Byrd leads external communications for Norfolk Southern in the areas of Executive Comms, Commercial and Strategic Planning. She joined NS in 2022, bringing nearly 10 years of strategic communications expertise.

Parker Whidby leads Norfolk Southern’s enterprise-wide social media strategy, shaping the brand’s voice and presence across every platform. She joined the railroad in 2023 with more than a decade of expertise in social media, brand storytelling, community management, and influencer engagement.