Norfolk Southern kicks off major track replacement in Birmingham

If you’ve noticed an unusual level of activity on the Railroad Reservation in downtown Birmingham, you’re not alone. Major railroad company Norfolk Southern is replacing several miles of track leading from the Railroad Reservation to Norris Yard in Irondale.

Norfolk Southern replacing track in downtown Birmingham

According to a spokesperson from Norfolk Southern, the work is being completed by a Norfolk Southern T&S (Timber and Surfacing) gang. Over the next few weeks, the specialized maintenance crew will be installing new railway ties and surfacing track from downtown Birmingham’s Railroad Reservation towards Norris Yard in Irondale.

Norfolk Southern working on several projects in The Magic City

The track replacement is only the latest project that Norfolk Southern is completing in The Magic City.

In October, Norfolk Southern teamed up with CSX Corporation to replace outdated infrastructure at the 14th Street Junction, a major interlocking that can be seen running parallel to Railroad Park.

The modernization project included new turnouts, signals and track panels that enable trains to travel more than three times faster through the junction, both improving supply chain fluidity for businesses utilizing rail transport and reducing blocked crossing issues caused by slow-moving trains.

Impressively, the project was completed in only 48 hours. Norfolk Southern and CSX spent 10 years planning the project in order to minimize disruption on the busy rail corridor.

The company recently completed upgrades to the Norris Yard facility in Irondale. The upgrades included new power switches that allow tracks to be guided from one track to another, eliminating the need for manual switching and increasing the speed at which crews can work while improving safety for rail employees.

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