DELIVERING A SAFER
& MORE RESILIENT RAILROAD

2025 Report on Safety Accomplishments and Ongoing Initiatives

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Safety is a core value and the foundation of everything we do at Norfolk Southern. It’s the lens through which every decision is made. From the boardroom to the front line, the Thoroughbred team focuses on providing safe and reliable service to our customers, our communities and our employees.

 

This report is a comprehensive accounting of the steps we’re taking and the progress we’ve made — in the crew room, on the ballast line and in our communities. We’re continuously raising our standards for excellence, guided by our commitment to safety.

 

Reinforcing safety at Norfolk Southern is our Speak Up culture which emphasizes that safety is a collective responsibility, from leadership to every craft employee.

 

While employees are at the center of keeping our railroad safe, we’re leveraging the latest technology to enhance our ability to detect and address issues and make our operations safer by identifying defects that are often not visible to the naked eye, allowing our people to focus more time and energy on fixing problems before they manifest into larger issues. Through tools like autonomous track inspection, AI-powered train and wheel inspection, and apps that instantaneously put critical information in the hands of first responders when they need it, we are enhancing the safety of our operations and railways, creating a safer future for all of us.

 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these efforts to make our railroads safer for all.

 

-- Mark George, President and CEO

MEASURING OUR IMPACT

SAFETY BY NUMBERS

Norfolk Southern’s commitment to safety is driving results across our entire 22-state network.

10

We’ve brought the total number of Digital Train Inspection (DTI) portals up to 10, including 3 additional sites stood up in 2025. 

25

We’ve also increased the number of ATGMS-equipped locomotives monitoring track conditions in real time on our network to 25, adding 5 in 2025. 

5,800+

In 2025, over 5,800 first responders were trained through our Operation Awareness and Response program, which provides free training throughout our network, arming first responders with the skills and knowledge they need to respond to rail-related incidents.

1,184

We’ve raised the total number of Hot Bearing Detectors to 1,184 by installing 265 across the system over the past three years, reducing average spacing to just over 11 miles on core routes.

31%

Reduction in FRA reportable Train Accident Rate in 2025 versus 2024.

15%

Reduction in FRA reportable Injury Rate in 2025 versus 2024.

Thanks to this comprehensive approach, we are proud to share our preliminary 2025 results.

In 2025, we launched our first Wheel Integrity System, which builds on our Digital Train Inspection (DTI) technology and leverages synchronized cameras and advanced AI to spot critical wheel defects before they cause problems.

Wheel Integrity System

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY 

Overview of company actions

Rail is the safest way to move freight, and at Norfolk Southern, we’ll never stop working to improve safety for our team, our customers and our communities. Together, we’re supporting a culture of safety across our organization, ensuring accountability and transparency as we work toward continually improving the safety of our railroad.

 

Company policies

Our safety policies are grounded in a culture built around four critical pillars:

  • Speak Up culture. Every employee is empowered to call out potential risks, ask questions and share ideas, knowing they’ll be heard and that their concerns will be addressed.
  • Stop Work Authority. Safety is a shared responsibility, and every employee has the obligation to halt work immediately if they have questions, concerns, or safety is compromised.
  • Committed Leadership. Supervisors know that Deeds Matter. We take action when issues are raised, following up on every potential risk, and driving meaningful improvements in our safety culture.
  • Continuous Learning and Intentional Practice. Safety is the foundation for everything we do across our organization. Our Thoroughbred Academy ensures that safety leadership, learning and action reach every aspect of our railroad.

 

Our Speak Up culture empowers employees to raise questions, identify risks, and share ideas. At NS, keeping our coworkers safe is a shared responsibility. When employees Speak Up, they know their concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon.

FRA Train Accidents Rate

Working with stakeholders

Norfolk Southern has now fulfilled every new safety recommendation issued by the NTSB in its 2024 report related to the East Palestine derailment, an important step in strengthening our safety foundation. In a January 2026 letter, the Board highlighted the meaningful progress we’ve made, from improving how we share information with first responders to enhancing hazardous materials reporting and updating our emergency response procedures. These actions reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and to building a safer, more prepared operation for the communities we serve.

Empowering employees

Our craft employees are on the front lines when it comes to safety, and we’re proud of the industry-leading partnership we’ve built with our labor unions, who share our commitment to safety. In August, labor leaders from across the network came together for our second annual Labor Summit — and safety was at the forefront. More than 60 labor leaders joined together with members of Norfolk Southern’s senior operations leadership and executive teams to talk about how to encourage our Speak Up culture and how to deliver safer operations across every aspect of our business. Together, we’re charting a course built on safety, integrity, collaboration and productivity.

Empowering employees

Additionally, in 2025:

  • We hosted Safety Camps, completing the rollout of Speak Up culture and Committed Leadership training to 100% of operations leaders. Since Safety Camps were deployed in 2024, more than 2,300 people have participated, several of whom have attended more than one session.
  • We extended our participation in the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) pilot program. The extension, which builds on a partnership begun in 2024, enables us to continue to gather data in collaboration with the FRA and our employees to make key improvements.
  • We introduced Safety Walkabouts, systemwide events focused on real-time, peer-to-peer engagement where leaders and frontline teams reinforce safety protocols and expectations through feedback and coaching opportunities. Safety Walkabouts build directly on the concepts of Speak Up culture and Committed Leadership covered in Safety Camps and provide an opportunity to put those critical leadership skills into practice in a real-world setting.
  • The Signal Safety Collaboration program, a partnership with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen focused on improving signal safety, was expanded in 2025 to include all engineering crafts and disciplines.  This expanded the safety initiative to include track employees represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the IBT and communications workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. This safety collaboration, which also receives technical input from the FRA, is focused on ensuring the safety of both employees and communities..

VOICES FOR SAFETY

 

“Norfolk Southern continues to strengthen a culture where every voice matters. Every employee is empowered to speak up about issues and share ideas. Together, we’re enhancing an environment grounded in our core value of safety — one that supports open dialogue, collaborative problem solving, and continuous improvement across all levels of the organization, from craft employees to senior leadership.”

 

— John Orr, EVP & COO

SAFETY IN ACTION

On the ground: Keeping our employees safe

 

With safety as our focus, we’re leaning into the latest technological advances to push our policies and procedures further. Improving our safety culture requires vigilance and ongoing conversation with our employees and union partners to ensure our approach is always evolving.  

Q&A with Brian Yeager, Senior Director of Mechanical Operations 

Team Members participate in a Safety Walkabout. Team Members participate in a Safety Walkabout.
Brian Barr, VP Mechanical and Chief Mechanical Officer, leads a workshop at our Safety Camp. Brian Barr, VP Mechanical and Chief Mechanical Officer, leads a workshop at our Safety Camp.

 

 

About the Mechanical War Room

 

Q: What is the War Room?

 

A: The Mechanical War Room is a group that analyzes service interruptions to drive car and locomotive reliability. Inside, our most experienced leaders are using real-time incoming data to solve both short- and long-term challenges. If you’re in the War Room, that means you’re focused on challenging the status quo and keeping Norfolk Southern a leader in safety, service and productivity.

 

Q: How has this project impacted safety?

 

A: As a major safety initiative, the Mechanical War Room has made a big difference in implementing solutions that come from rigorous root cause analysis and continuous improvement. Specific results include:

  • Expanding deployment of machine vision capabilities for a total of 10 Digital Train Inspection (DTI) portals, innovative wheel defect detection systems and tailored algorithms to identify issues before they become problems.
  • 31.1% reduction in wayside stops while also inspecting 4.2% more axles.
  • 4.5% reduction in railcar bad orders.
  • An 8% year-over-year improvement in locomotive productivity.

 

Q: What accounts for the War Room’s effectiveness?

 

A: It’s the proactive approach. The Mechanical War Room brings everyone together in a single location to ensure close collaboration, bringing together data, technology and cross-functional expertise. Our journey of continuous improvement is driving greater consistency, minimizing disruptions and delivering reliability that allows our customers to win their markets.

Thanks to these efforts, we are proud to announce 1 million man-hours injury-free in 2025 — the collective achievement of 20,000 railroaders working across 22 states.

VOICES FOR SAFETY

 

“At Norfolk Southern, safety is more than the absence of incidents; it’s a core value that creates a culture of accountability driven by the grit and dedication of our professional railroaders. Safety is a daily grind of continuous improvement, pairing strategic initiatives with sweat equity to shape behaviors, refine processes, and enhance procedures that build a safer, more productive, and more reliable network.

 

—  John Fleps, VP & Chief Safety Officer

On the tracks: Maintaining our railroads

Aided by state-of-the-art technology and enhanced procedures, our team has been breaking ground on new initiatives aimed at improving safety across the network.

 

We have embraced the latest telemetry and big-data applications available to ensure that our entire network — from the most remote track to the heart of our operations center — has access to tools they need to continue to push the bounds of what’s possible. Here are just a few ways we’re leveraging emerging technology to increase safety:

Maintaining our railroads
  • Automated Track Geometry Measurement System (ATGMS) uses lasers and other analytical technology affixed to the bottom of locomotives to continuously measure track geometry, determining alignment, gauge and elevation to reveal defects long before they become visible to the naked eye.
  • More than 75% of all train traffic operating on Norfolk Southern lines is now inspected by portal technology. We’ve installed three additional portals in 2025, allowing our experts to address, and even predict, issues while maintaining a comprehensive high-level view of our network. The technology was recognized in Fast Company’s 2025 Innovation by Design Awards, receiving an honorable mention in the Artificial Intelligence Design category, a first for the railroad industry. A new Wheel Integrity System in Burns Harbor, Indiana leverages Digital Train Inspection (DTI) technology focused specifically on wheels, helping catch defects early to prevent future issues.
  • A new Wheel Integrity System in Burns Harbor, Indiana leverages Digital Train Inspection (DTI) technology focused specifically on wheels, helping catch defects early to prevent future issues.

Safety Statistic Totals:

1,184

Hot Bearing Detector Systems 

10

Norfolk Southern network Digital Train Inspection (DTI) portals in operation

22

Acoustic bearing detectors on network.

25

ATGMS-equipped locomotives

Success stories: Harrisburg

This year, the 200 railroaders at Harrisburg Consolidated Terminals reached an impressive milestone: three locations, operating 11 scheduled originating trains per day, marked one year without injury. This achievement is especially impressive given the complexity and scale of the operation, which handles each railcar more often than any other location in the system.

View Milestone
Success stories: Harrisburg

VOICES FOR SAFETY

 

“Technology is enabling us to innovate in new ways when it comes to safety. We’re equipping our railroaders with the right tools to make their jobs safer while driving more safety improvements throughout the network."

 

— Anil Bhatt, EVP and CIDO

In the field: Our communities

Our employees are also neighbors, community leaders, family and friends. They are deeply entwined with the communities we serve, and we thrive when they thrive.

 

Due to Norfolk Southern’s essential role in the transportation and delivery of goods critical to daily life, including hazardous materials, and due to the extensive care that must be taken when transporting those goods, the Norfolk Southern team is on call 24/7/365. They’re able to respond to emergencies across our 22-state footprint with their extensive network of hazmat response contractors and environmental consultants.

 

Every year, our expert teams provide training for first responders, helping to equip emergency workers across our communities with the skills, connections and information they need to respond to rail-related emergencies. Close collaboration and hands-on experience working together help keep everyone safe in an emergency.

NSPD K9 Thorr and his partner, Special Agent Mckinnor, patrol the tracks.

Working to support first responders:

  • In April, we joined with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other leaders to support the opening of the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Public Safety Training Center, for which we funded a new fire station and a dedicated safety train. This is now the permanent base for our Operation Awareness and Response (OAR) program in metro Atlanta.
  • In 2025, we awarded over $1.6 million in Safety First grants. This money will go toward strengthening emergency response capabilities, allowing first responders to reach incidents faster and more safely while protecting both their own city and the surrounding communities.
  • We continue to offer free training to first responders through our existing OAR program. These trainings foster close relationships with local and state agencies, increasing training opportunities with drills and full-scale exercises, as well as raising awareness of the powerful AskRail app, a tool developed by the rail industry to give first responders fast access to critical information in an emergency

Q&A with Matthew Wade, Operation Lifesaver Volunteer

Our collaboration with local emergency response teams and specialized contractors ensures that the appropriate experts can anticipate, and are prepared for, any emergency that might arise.

Q: How does your experience in law enforcement inform your approach to your safety activism?

 

A: Whether it’s in a sheriff’s uniform or with a Norfolk Southern badge, my job has always been about keeping people safe. Rail safety starts with education, and if I can help one person or one community think about increasing their safety around the tracks, that’s a win.

 

Why do you believe a proactive culture of safety is important?

 

A: In my 30-year law enforcement career, I trained a lot of people and participated in a lot of trainings myself. I know that the best way to understand any concept is to attack it from a lot of different angles: conversation, hands-on exercises, drills. For that to work, you need proactive students. And you can’t have proactive students without proactive teachers! That’s why I fit in so well at Norfolk Southern: we share a belief in taking initiative.

 

Q: What do you hope the impact of your work will be? Who will be the most affected?

 

A: We’re all in this together. If you are a member of a community that is touched by railway, then you benefit from these safety trainings.

Looking Ahead

In 2025, we continued to invest in people, process and innovative technology. While the experience and expertise of our people are and will remain our first line of defense when it comes to safety, we’re working to arm them with tools that help them see more, communicate better and respond more quickly.

When conductor Steven Ludwick heard “The Safety Train”,would pass through Cleveland while he was visiting family,,he knew he had to photograph it.,“The Safety Train,” is part of Norfolk Southern’s Operation,Awareness & Response (OAR) program. This specially,outfitted train travels the country, educating local fire and,police departments on how to respond to rail emergencies,and hazardous materials incidents. Through the OAR,program, NS provides hands-on rail safety training to more,than 5,000 first responders across its network each year.,For Ludwick, the railroad has been a part of his life since,childhood. “My grandma got me into it, and both my,grandfather and uncle worked on the railroad,” he says.,His fascination with trains remains as strong as ever. “It’s,amazing how much weight trains can haul and how vital they,are to the world. The fact that so much power runs on two,steel rails just blows my mind.”,Photography has been a long-time hobby for Ludwick, who,also captured the back cover photo of this year’s calendar,,which showcases a coal train climbing a steep hill in Kings,Mountain, Kentucky. The OAR train pictured here is passing signal masts, after crossing a lift bridge outside of Cleveland, Ohio. The city skyline is visible in the background, Steven Ludwick 2025 Calendar Contest Entry

VOICES FOR SAFETY

 

Across 22 states and more than 19,000 route miles on our network, Team NS is fully committed to operating safely, efficiently, and reliably 365 days a year. We made significant progress in 2025 and will continue to build on the organizational value we are creating together.”

 

— Tim Livingston, SVP Transportation

Our efforts to reinforce a continually improving safety culture, where everyone not only plays a role but feels empowered to speak up, will not waver.

 

Thank you to the entire Norfolk Southern team for their tireless commitment to improving safety for our entire industry. Today we are laying the tracks for a safer industry — for our employees and our communities.
Download 2025 Safety Report