OBTAIN PIPELINE & WIRELINE LICENSES AND MAINTENANCE RIGHT OF ENTRY
RailPros, a firm that provides engineering and construction services for rail and transit, manages all Pipeline and Wireline permitting requests for Norfolk Southern. All permitting requests must be submitted through RailPros’ online permit management system. The cloud-based right-of-way management software allows applicants to upload attachments, send messages, obtain real-time status updates, execute agreements, pay application fees, and coordinate required field services.
APPLY ONLINE
***PLEASE NO PAPER OR EMAIL APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS***
To prepare your application and develop your project, refer to the links below for helpful resources:
Questions? Email RailPros staff at NS.Permitting@RailPros.com
OUR SCHEDULE OF FEES
Starting April 1, 2023, NS added several new fees to our Pipe and Wire program. They include:
A $500 fee for each review required after the second review. The initial review and second review are included in the initial application fee.
A Variance Request Fee of $3,500 for all occupancy types. The applicant will be notified after the first review if a variance is required for project approval. The applicant can then decide to pay the fee and proceed with the plan as originally submitted, or they can revise the plan to avoid requesting a variance.
A Longitudinal Review Fee of $3,500 for review of longitudinal or parallel occupancies.
A complete schedule of fees: Download Pipe and Wire Program Fees
For additional information, please contact us at NS.Permitting@RailPros.com.
INSTALL FIBER OPTICS ALONG NS RIGHTS OF WAY
NS subsidiary T-Cubed, Thoroughbred Technology and Telecommunications, offers infrastructure for telecommunication projects along 19,500 miles of rights of way. This includes fiber optics and wireless arrays installation on 375 existing microwave towers.
With a 22-state network, T-Cubed can help you connect major metropolitan areas, regional centers, and small localities.
For more information, contact T-Cubed.
RISK FEE FINANCING AVAILABLE
In some situations, Norfolk Southern offers the option for a participant to pay a Risk Fee for a project in lieu of obtaining a commercial Railroad Protective Liability (RPL) policy. The Risk Fee enables Norfolk Southern to add the associated project to its Master RPL policy.
The $1,900 fee is well below the minimum premium of $2,500 for a typical commercial RPL policy, representing a significant value to Norfolk Southern’s Pipe and Wire business partners. It can be purchased through the online permitting portal.
For more information, contact NS.Permitting@RailPros.com.
SAFELY ACCESS NS PROPERTY
At Norfolk Southern, everything starts with safety. Nothing is more important to us than ensuring the safety of our employees, members of the communities where we operate, and individuals granted permission to enter railroad property.
If you require access to Norfolk Southern property or right-of-way to perform work, you must submit an application to secure railroad approval. Verbal authorization is not valid.
Entry onto railroad property may require the presence of a flagman. Any inquiries regarding flagging should be sent to NS.Coordinator@RailPros.com.
TWO RIGHT OF ENTRY CATEGORIES
Norfolk Southern recognizes two right-of-entry categories: a Non-Environmental Right of Entry and an Environmental Right of Entry. Examples of work for a Non-Environmental Right of Entry include non-intrusive surveys, soil sampling not for environmental purposes, temporary access for work adjacent to NS property, minor maintenance and inspection of existing public structures such as bridges and roadways, and resurfacing of grade crossings that don’t change the crossing’s physical footprint.
NON-ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT OF ENTRY
Download Instructions
Apply Online
ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT OF ENTRY
Download Instructions
Apply Online
