NS Testing to Make Locomotives Environmentally Friendlier NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Already the most environmentally friendly way to move freight, railroads could grow even greener if a pilot program being tested on Norfolk Southern Railway pans out. During an 18-month pilot, NS will test the Locomotive Engineer Assist Display and Event Recorder (LEADER). LEADER(R) is a computer system that helps engineers determine the best train handling for fuel efficiency, scheduling and safety. The NS pilot project is a partnership with New York Air Brake Corp., General Electric Transportation Systems and the Federal Railroad Administration research office, which provided a $615,000 grant. The patented LEADER system, which was developed by New York Air Brake Corp., will be installed on 15 GE Dash 9 locomotives, owned by NS and equipped with General Electric's LocoComm(R) technology. The locomotives will be assigned to trains operating over the 104-mile Winston-Salem line, which runs from Roanoke, Va., to Belews Creek, N.C. LEADER works by continuously logging the operating state of the train in its memory. Over a number of trips the software accounts for all energy used in moving the train and creates a statistical profile of the operation. That data is then used to develop the highest energy-efficient trip -- called a "Golden Run" -- and help engineers repeat it on subsequent trips by prompting them in real-time to adjust locomotive throttle and brakes for optimal performance. "LEADER has the potential to be the next major advance in train handling," said John Samuels, NS senior vice president operations planning and support. "Not only is there the opportunity to achieve significant fuel savings -- a real benefit to the environment and potentially to our bottom line -- but also to improve safety." "We are confident the LEADER pilot program will demonstrate its ability to yield significant fuel savings as well as improve train handling methods, contributing to a safer environment," said Marshall Beck, senior vice president of marketing and sales for New York Air Brake. "We are delighted that Norfolk Southern will be field testing LEADER and appreciate the Federal Railroad Administration's funding support. The partnership with GE Transportation Systems also represents an important step in realizing the technology's potential." Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NCS) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates 21,500 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is the nation's largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished vehicles. DATASOURCE: Norfolk Southern Corporation CONTACT: Media, Susan Terpay, +1-757-823-5204, or John Samuels, +1-757-629-2378, both of Norfolk Southern Corporation, or John Punwani of Federal Railroad Administration, +1-202-493-6369, or Marshall Beck of New York Air Brake Corp., +1-315-786-5205, or Joseph Cermak of General Electric Transportation Systems, +1-814-875-3991, or investors, Leanne McGruder of Norfolk Southern Corporation, +1-757-629-2861 Web site: http://www.getransportation.com/ Web site: http://www.nyab.com/ Web site: http://www.fra.dot.gov/ Web site: http://www.nscorp.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/626525.html

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