The U.S Department of Justice announced a settlement with Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co. to resolve allegations that the Atlanta-based freight railroad delayed Amtrak passenger trains on Amtrak’s Crescent Route in violation of federal law.
As a result of the settlement, the Justice Department has moved to dismiss its lawsuit against Norfolk Southern.
As part of the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to provide all Amtrak trains the highest priority and train its employees to give priority to Amtrak trains. It also agreed to require supervisor approval for any dispatching decision that does not prioritize Amtrak trains in non-emergency situations and to provide records regarding delays suffered by Amtrak trains traveling on the Crescent Route, which is controlled by Norfolk Southern.
Norfolk Southern has also pledged to assist the Justice Department in determining the root cause of any delays to Amtrak Crescent Route trains. Norfolk Southern’s vice president of compliance will annually certify that Norfolk Southern complies with the agreement and its obligations under the law to provide Amtrak trains preference.
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