Norfolk Southern’s Safety Train rolls into Atlanta to strengthen first responder preparedness | Atlanta Safety Train Stop

How it works:

Over the course of three days, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency personnel from agencies across metro Atlanta participated in free training sessions designed to build familiarity with railroad equipment and improve coordination in the rare event of a rail‑related incident. The program combines classroom instruction with hands‑on learning aboard specially equipped railcars.

During the classroom portion, participants covered railroad fundamentals, including how to safely operate around tracks, how to identify railcars and their contents, and how to quickly contact the railroad during an emergency. The training then moved onto the train, where responders practiced applying that knowledge through hands-on demonstrations and real‑world scenarios involving locomotives and tank cars.

By the Numbers:

For more than a decade, Norfolk Southern’s Safety Train has traveled across the NS network to strengthen preparedness and partnerships in the communities we serve. The Safety Train last stopped in the Atlanta area in 2023, making this year’s return especially meaningful.

This Atlanta stop marked a significant milestone, with more than 400 registrants from local agencies, the largest number of participants of any Safety Train stop to date, underscoring the strong interest from metro‑Atlanta first responders in continued collaboration focused on safety, readiness, and community protection. First responder agencies showed up from the following Georgia areas: city of Atlanta, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, city of Douglas, Paulding County, city of Jefferson, Cobb County, Henry County, city of Alpharetta, Hall County, Toccoa Fire Department, Cherokee County, city of Forest Park, and the city of East Point.

Why it matters:

The NS Safety Train was launched in 2015 to strengthen relationships with first responders across the company’s 22‑state network. Each year, the program provides thousands of emergency personnel with specialized training focused on preparedness, safety, and collaboration.

At each location, the goal remains the same: equip first responders with the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to respond safely and effectively while reinforcing strong partnerships between our railroad and the communities where we operate.

What they’re saying:

 “At NS, safety is a core value and the lens for every decision we make — including how we work with first responders. These incidents are rare, and the railroad gets safer every year. But if something does happen and you’re the one who takes the call, we want you to arrive knowing exactly what to do.” — John Fleps, NS Vice President of Safety

“The hands-on aspect of this is very important because we can actually begin to build some pre-plans on how we will tackle some of these things that happen on the railroad prior to it actually being an issue.” — Captain Jaeson Daniels, DeKalb Fire Rescue Public Information Officer

“If we have an incident, Atlanta firefighters now know exactly who to contact, they know the resources to utilize to make more intelligent and better decisions.” — Captain Andrew Anderson, Atlanta Fire Rescue Public Information Officer

What’s next:

Atlanta is one of 17 scheduled Safety Train stops across the network in 2026. The Safety train will now move on to its other stops throughout 10 other states for the rest of the year.

Kasandra Jenkins assists with external communications for Norfolk Southern, focusing on community impact, awards, and media relations. Kasandra joined NS in 2025, with more than 10 years of media relations, and corporate/crisis communications experience.