 |
||
|
|
||
| |||||||||||
All the live-long day. . . The 1982 merger between the Norfolk & Western Railway and the Southern Railway created one of the nation's largest railroads. The two, both major U.S. railroads, have histories that extend back to the 1830s. Norfolk & Western Railway was the product of more than 200 mergers over 150 years; and Southern Railway was formed through the consolidation of close to 150 lines over the same period of time. Norfolk Southern, as the new railroad was called, has grown even more recently, with its acquisition of about one-half of erstwhile competitor Conrail's rail lines (CSX acquired the other half). With the acquisition, Norfolk Southern now operates over 21,000 track miles in 22 states. The company also owns the Pocahontas Land Corporation, a natural resource company that dates back to 1883 and now manages 900,000 acres of coal, natural gas, and timber resources. Norfolk Southern's railroad operations have yielded record revenues in the 1990s, especially in the area of intermodal service - shipments that combine two modes of transport, such as the shipment of truck trailers. The Norfolk The predecessor to Norfolk and Western Railway was created in 1838 by William Mahone. Called the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad, it consisted of a single, 10-mile track connecting Petersburg and City Point, VA. After the Civil War, Mahone linked the N&P with two other railroads to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O). The AM&O was renamed Norfolk & Western Railroad in 1881, when it was acquired by a Philadelphia banking firm. It subsequently merged with the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. In 1959, it acquired the Virginian Railway - the first in a rash of mergers throughout the industry. Five years later, in one of the most complicated acquisition deals of the era, N&W absorbed two more railways, giving the company a direct line between the Atlantic at one end and the Mississippi and Great Lakes Region on the other. The Southern Southern Railway started out as a single track in 1827. The nine-mile South Carolina Canal & Railroad Co. was the first regularly scheduled passenger train in America. It was also the first to carry U.S. troops and mail, and the first railway to be lighted for travel at night. In 1953, Southern was the first American railroad to convert completely to diesel-powered trains, and it has been on the cutting edge of its industry ever since. Together at last When N&W merged with Southern in 1982, Norfolk Southern was created as a holding company for the two railroads. The resulting rail system covered the American East, South, and Midwest. In 1985, Norfolk Southern acquired North American Van Lines, a diversified motor carrier. Norfolk sold off North American's refrigerated fleet in the early 1990s and revived the carrier's two main businesses: relocation services and high value (usually high-technology) transport. Norfolk Southern tried to acquire Philadelphia-based Conrail in 1984, but the company failed due to insurmountable political obstacles. When CSX attempted to acquire the company in 1996, Norfolk Southern immediately launched a bidding war and ended up winning over Conrail's stockholders. In the end, Norfolk Southern agreed to split ownership of Conrail's properties. Norfolk assumed more than 7,000 miles of rail, expanding its reach into New York, and increasing its holdings in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Norfolk Southern expanded into New England in summer 1998 through an agreement with Guilford Rail Sustem Inc. Both companies transport intermodal containers and truck trailers between their rail systems. Some struggles in railroad land Norfolk Southern has struggled recently. Diminishing earnings, slumping stocks, and a loss in the first quarter of 2000 have resulted in numerous layoffs. To counter these disappointments, Norfolk has expanded its railroad, and it has spent $250 million on improvements. Additionally, the company has invested in Arzoon, a developer of Internet transportation management services; and it has created a telecommunications subsidiary, Thoroughbred Technology and Telecommunications Inc. Finally, Norfolk Southern has recently reached a landmark labor agreement with its engineers, under which their wages will be tied to corporate performance.
Norfolk Southern's employment web site, located at www.nscorp.com/nscorp/html/jobs/, lists current openings and describes the benefits that the company provides. The company also advertises openings in local papers. One insider notes that "the more computer knowledge you have the better off you are." Applications for management training programs are accepted on a rolling basis. The company's job hotline explains the application procedure and provides details on the company's recruiting schedule. Our sources say applicants must take "a series of tests, but nothing railroad related and nothing difficult." The company "really stresses the [no] drug policy," says one contact, "so be advised." Interviews "are an all-day affair, and can be stressful," though "how stressful depends on the individual."
Solid Norfolk Southern has an "informal" corporate atmosphere that is as "warm as its Virginia home." "It's a solid company," reports a source, "and the people are in it for the long term." Management encourages the regular use of first names and "welcomes participation from its employees at all levels." Norfolk Southern "strives" to give its employees "the best training possible" and offers them both "immediate responsibility" and advancement opportunities. While work schedules - especially in the transportation department - can be "demanding," sources like being "continually challenged." R-E-S-P-E-C-T The "dignity and respect" that pervades the corporate atmosphere is also a cause for celebration, say insiders. Moreover, they praise "the wilderness and beach resorts that the company owns" in South Carolina and Florida. These resorts are open for employees and their families each summer. "Working here is never boring," reports a contact. "But it is very structured." Transportation department employees must wear "safe attire" including work boots and no baggy clothing. Norfolk has been commended by Fortune magazine for salaries and benefits, and one contact says "the retirement plan is excellent." Another insider notes that the company has "hospital, dental, eye care and even mental care." As for women and minorities, sources maintain that "the company has a very aggressive EEOC policy." Sums up one: "There is little racism or harassment in the railroad industry anymore."
Human Resources (800) 214-3609
Rail transportation;Relocation services;High-value motor transport;Natural resources
Canadian Pacific;CNF Transportation;Illinois Central;J. B. Hunt More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
