Executives of Norfolk Southern Corp. and National Railroad Passenger Corp., which operates Amtrak, say talks are under way to allow Norfolk Southern’s RoadRailer intermodal trains to use Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and northern New Jersey.
“Amtrak is in final negotiations with Norfolk Southern to carry freight on the Northeast Corridor,” said Cliff Black, spokesman for Amtrak.
Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband confirmed that a memorandum of understanding between Amtrak and Triple Crown Services, the NS subsidiary that operates RoadRailer trains, was signed early last week.
Both companies had announced an agreement in principle last year to give NS access to the high-speed corridor. A final agreement still must be negotiated covering such issues as track fees, dispatching priorities and indemnity provisions covering potential derailments that could delay or halt passenger trains.
Amtrak earlier gained the right to handle mail and express freight on its passenger trains that operate over NS tracks. A key Amtrak route runs from New York through Washington to Atlanta and New Orleans.
With a June 1 target date for implementation of the breakup of Conrail and division of its assets and operations between NS and CSX Corp., NS needs the Amtrak agreement to carry out its strategy to increase its north-south business along the East Coast.
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