Class I Briefs: CSX, CN (UPDATED With Video 6/28)
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
CSX debuts its latest heritage locomotive honoring Georgia Railroad. (CSX Photograph, via LinkedIn)
CSX adds the 16th locomotive to its heritage fleet, and CN inaugurates a new high-efficiency loading fuel terminal in the Greater Toronto Area. Both Class I railroads are ranked on Time magazine’s inaugural list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2024.
CSX
CSX ES44AH No. 1834, in the Georgia Railroad theme, is the 16th in a series of heritage locomotives to roll out of the Class I railroad’s Waycross Mechanical Shop in Georgia. “Founded in 1833, the company was originally the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company and the banking side turned out to be very successful, spending some time as the largest bank in Georgia,” reported CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs in a LinkedIn post debuting the new heritage unit.
Headquartered in Augusta, Ga., Georgia Railroad was instrumental in facilitating transport and commerce across the region during the 19th and early 20th centuries, according to CSX. Originally, it was established to connect Augusta with Athens, Ga. Its route expanded over time, linking key cities such as Atlanta and Macon, Ga., thereby becoming an important artery for economic growth in the state, reported CSX, noting that the railroad “was renowned for its efficiency and reliability, transporting both passengers and freight.”
Throughout its operational years, CSX said Georgia Railroad underwent several mergers and partnerships until it eventually became part of the CSX network.
Like the first unit painted in a heritage scheme, CSX ES44AH No. 1827 that honors the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O), the livery features a hybrid design, starting on the cab with the Class I’s colors and transitioning to Georgia Railroad’s logo and paint scheme.
“I enjoy painting our regular locomotives, but the heritage units give us an opportunity to showcase our broader skillset,” said CSX Carman Painter Eric Lee, who worked on the project. “The trickiest part was spraying it because it’s metallic. You can’t just spray one way; you have to zigzag the paint and spray it three or four ways to get it to lay out just right.”
CSX previously unveiled units commemorating the Atlantic Coast Line; Louisville & Nashville (L&N); C&O; Conrail; Chessie System; Seaboard System; Monon Railroad; New York Central; Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P); Family Lines System; Western Maryland Railroad, Pere Marquette, Seaboard Coast Line, and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie (P&LE).
The Georgia Railroad locomotive will join the other commemorative units in revenue service on CSX’s 20,000-mile rail network that spans 23 states.
“Thanks again to the team in Waycross for doing another great job!” Hinrichs wrote on LinkedIn.
CN
CN on June 25 reported via LinkedIn that it recently inaugurated a new high-efficiency loading fuel terminal in the Greater Toronto Area.
“This marks a significant milestone that will enhance the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of fuel distribution,” the Canadian Class I said. “With our unwavering dedication to safety, steadfast commitment to environmental responsibility, and state-of-the-art technology, we’re ready to shape the future of energy in partnership with Terminal Norcan, Parkland Corporation, and the City of Vaughan.”
CSX / CN
CSX and CN have both been included in Time Magazine’s top 500 of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2024, an inaugural ranking.
Time Magazine partnered with data analytics firm Statista to compile the list. They evaluated “more than 5,000 of the world’s largest and most influential companies on key data points such as emissions, employee turnover, and work safety,” according to CSX. They also considered metrics such as CDP scores—a measure of how companies manage their environmental impact—and alignment with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) standards.
CSX and CN were the only Class I’s on the list; they were included in the Transportation, Logistics & Aviation category. They were joined by 17 other companies in that category, including DB of Germany and Logista of Spain. Other categories were Retail, Wholesale & Consumer Goods; Telecommunication; Natural Resources and Mining; and IT Tech and Software, among others.
CSX was highlighted on the list “for its commitment to efficiency and supply chain engagement, management and conservation of water resources, and focus on the safety and health of the public, customers, and employees in all aspects of its operations,” the railroad reported June 25.
