Norfolk Southern announces major expansion; 275 new jobs in Bellevue

Norfolk Southern has announced it will begin a $160 million expansion project at its Bellevue rail yard this month.The expansion will double the yard's capacity to meet rising demand for freight rail transportation, the company said in a press release Monday."Bellevue is already an important terminal for the classification and movement of freight, and this investment will expand and modernize Bellevue, contributing to the fluid movement of long-distance freight across our rail system," said Mark Manion, Norfolk Southern's chief operating officer. "This project will help us improve asset utilization and efficiency, enhance customer service, strengthen our entire 22-state system, and further confirm Ohio's importance to freight rail transportation."The company plans to add 275 new railroad jobs to the 700 positions currently based in Bellevue.According to Norfolk Southern, the project includes the following key elements:•38 new tracks, bringing the total number of classification tracks to 80.•38.5 miles of new rail, which will allow NS to increase the number of cars classified from about 1,800 to as many as 3,600 a day.•145 miles of underground cable for communication and signal systems.•140 new automated switches to direct train traffic to the proper tracks.•11 upgraded control points, signals that will make train access to the Bellevue facility more efficient.Bellevue is one of 12 NS classification facilities, where freight cars are collected and sorted for their final destinations. When completed in 2015, Bellevue will be the largest classification yard on the NS system.For more on this developing story, pick up a copy of Wednesday's Register or start enjoying the full edition of the epaper for just 26 cents a day by clicking HERE.What do you think about this expansion? Leave your comments below.