Norfolk Southern Heritage locomotives to gather in North Carolina for July 4 'family portrait'

NORFOLK, Va., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern's Heritage locomotives will gather for a "family portrait" at the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer, N.C., during the Fourth of July week. All 20 locomotives painted in the color schemes of predecessor railroads will be on display July 3 and 4.

"This is the first and probably only chance we'll have to get all these locomotives together in one place at one time," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "We're proud of the role railroads play in keeping the country's economy strong, and July 4 is an opportune time to showcase that heritage of service and safety."

"Having these engines gathered together is a phenomenon, not just an event," said NCTM Executive Director Samuel Wegner. "And the N.C. Transportation Museum's Bob Julian Roundhouse is obviously a great place to frame this 'family portrait'. It's a great partnership with Norfolk Southern to host this historic occasion."

Tickets for the event are $25 for adults and $15 for children in advance, and $30 for adults and $20 for children the day of the event. Children 2 and under are free. Tickets will go on sale beginning May 21 at the NCTM's web site or by calling 704-636-2889, ext. 237. Norfolk Southern employees and retirees will be eligible for a $5 discount, with a limit of four tickets per purchase. Some restrictions may apply. Retirees must purchase tickets by phone to get the discount.

The Fourth of July week was chosen because of the holiday and because demand for the locomotives in freight service temporarily will be reduced due to the traditional coal miners' holiday.

In a related event, on Saturday, July 7, the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Va., will unveil the refurbished Norfolk & Western 1776 locomotive, which was painted in a star-spangled color scheme to commemorate the nation's bicentennial in 1976 and has just been restored to its original luster.

Norfolk Southern is producing the Heritage fleet as part of the company's 30th anniversary celebration. Norfolk Southern was created June 1, 1982, with the consolidation of Southern Railway Company and Norfolk and Western Railway Company, but both of those trace their lineage to hundreds of predecessors dating back to the early 1800s.

The museum is on the former site of Southern Railway's Spencer Shops, a steam locomotive servicing facility. After the advent of diesel, Spencer continued to serve as a classification yard into the late 1970s, when Southern donated land and facilities to the State of North Carolina for the establishment of the museum.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation