Norfolk Southern History

[NW Mailing List]

NW Mailing List wrote:
 > Many of my dealings with Norfolk Southern show me that they are 
interested in history. They often support our historic organizations.

Not to be too cynical about it, but I have trouble believing that Norfolk 
Southern cares about ANYTHING other than the bottom line and quarterly 
dividends for the shareholders.  If they are supporting historic 
organizations, it is because it's a great way to make the bottom line look 
good at the end of the quarter.  They made low interest loans available to 
employees who lost their homes in the Atlanta floods.  Was that corporate 
goodwill, or trying to keep from having to re-hire and re-train to replace 
employees who had no place to live?  Being "good" can often be profitable - 
it's still good, but the motive is less so, and deplorable when the result 
is presented to the world as charitable.

By contrast, Union Pacific makes an effort to display, share, and take 
pride in its own heritage.  I'm sure it costs money, but I think the 
public, and definitely the model railroad and railfan communities, 
appreciate the heritage paint schemes and active steam program.  I cannot 
comment as an insider there, as I can for NS, but I get the impression that 
they value their image in the world, and actually do care about their own 
history.
-- 
Kenneth Rickman - krickman1 at carolina.rr.com
Salisbury, NC