JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSX (Nasdaq:CSX) rapidly restored service throughout the areas affected by Hurricane Irma and continues to show improvement on key service metrics as the railroad advances its implementation of Precision Scheduled Railroading.
CSX President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison today said, “I’m extraordinarily proud of our team of dedicated railroaders, who worked tirelessly to prepare for and respond to the impacts of Hurricane Irma. Thanks to the dedication of these individuals, CSX was able to quickly and safely restore service to its customers, while continuing to make progress in the transition to our new operating model.”
Following Hurricane Irma, which struck Florida on Sunday, Sept. 10, with devastating winds and flooding, CSX re-established rail service in most of the southeast U.S. within hours, into and out of northern Florida within 24 hours, and throughout the vast majority of the state within one week. Restoring service required clearing nearly 8,000 fallen trees from obstructed tracks and deploying hundreds of generators to operate railroad signals and crossings in response to widespread commercial power outages. Prior to the storm, CSX evacuated more than 1,500 rail cars from the State of Florida, and held nearly 200 trains and thousands of cars to avoid damage from the hurricane.
Despite the impacts of Irma, key service metrics show that CSX’s operational performance continues to improve. Terminal dwell times have decreased for seven consecutive weeks, while train velocity has steadily increased over the last four weeks, excluding localized hurricane impacts.
“We’re back on our feet and committed to fully implementing our new operating model,” Harrison said. “We remain confident that Precision Scheduled Railroading will provide lasting benefits to our customers, our employees and our shareholders.”
In addition to restoring rail operations, CSX also has been active in helping communities and individuals recover from the impacts of Hurricane Irma through charitable contributions and in-kind donations to local, state and national relief agencies. Among them, CSX has contributed $100,000 and up to $50,000 in in-kind transportation services to Feeding Florida, to provide food and supplies to residents of the state affected by the recent storm. CSX also has worked with the State of Florida to expedite critical shipments of propane, animal feed and other commodities essential for residents of the peninsula.
“CSX is committed to the wellbeing of the communities in which we operate,” said Harrison. “We are honored to partner with Feeding Florida to support Irma relief efforts throughout the state.”
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For over 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at http://www.csx.com and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).
Contact:
Rob Doolittle, Corporate Communications
202-626-4939
Rob_doolittle@csx.com