CSX
CSX recently announced that it has reduced cargo theft incidents by more than 80% year over year through “a targeted task force and operational changes focused on the Memphis rail corridor.”
The task force was formed in 2024 after CSX identified a sharp increase in cargo theft in the Memphis area during the COVID-era surge in criminal activity. The rise in theft, the Class I says, “posed a growing concern for customer shipments, employee safety and surrounding communities, prompting the company to take a more focused, localized approach.”
“Cargo theft is both a security issue and a policy issue,” said CSX Assistant General Counsel Drew Sutter. “On the ground, it requires tactical solutions. Over the long term, it requires sustainable policies that address the broader impact on communities, employees and customers.”
The Memphis effort brought together multiple groups, including local law enforcement and CSX operational teams, in what company leaders described as “a highly collaborative process.” The focus centered on activity near CSX’s Leewood Yard, where trains were particularly vulnerable when stopping for extended periods.
To reduce risk in high traffic areas, CSX upgraded security around its Memphis facilities “with enhanced fencing, lighting, and access controls, including roughly 14,000 feet of high security fencing and an additional 5,000 feet east of Leewood Yard.” The company also added 30 surveillance cameras to support real time monitoring and investigations, “strengthening security without disrupting operations.”
One of the task force’s key challenges was finding ways to keep trains moving through the area without unnecessary stops. To address that risk, CSX implemented two major operational changes. The company introduced two direct trains running from its Leewood Yard in Memphis to Fairburn, Ga., “reducing dwell time in high-risk areas.” CSX also coordinated arrival and departure windows to limit exposure when trains entered and exited facilities.
Those changes, the Class I says, “produced immediate results, contributing to the year-over-year reduction in cargo theft incidents,” according to Sean Douris, CSX Chief of Police, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Protection.
CSX leaders said the Memphis initiative has become “a blueprint for addressing similar issues elsewhere on the network.”
“As we see incidents like this start to develop into trends, we’ll be able to apply this template going forward,” Douris said. “The goal is to address these problems early, before they reach a larger scale.”
Cargo theft has been an ongoing concern across the transportation industry, with impacts extending beyond financial losses to include employee safety and community well-being, the Class I noted. CSX said its Memphis task force “demonstrates how coordinated operational and policy-driven approaches can deliver measurable results.”
NS
NS has expanded the Thoroughbred Trading Post, a mobile application that “modernizes how surplus assets are documented, reviewed, and sold while helping teams maintain safer and more orderly yards and field locations.” The platform was designed and developed in-house, which, the Class I says, “sets it apart as a unique and innovative solution within the rail industry.” It supports equipment, machinery, tools, facility items, and other operational materials.
With a quick photo and brief description, NS employees can initiate a disposition request to remove, auction, recycle, or reassign items from anywhere.
Key benefits include:
- “Safety: Removing unused equipment reduces hazards, keeps yard areas clear, and supports safer daily operations.
- “Automation: Faster response times and consistent data make asset disposition more accessible and efficient.
- “Transparency: No more email chains or spreadsheets. All information lives in a single and easy-to-use app.
- “Stewardship: Responsible handling ensures assets are credited, managed, and routed appropriately, including direct-to-auction for high value items.
- “Revenue Generation: Larger assets route directly to auction partners, improving returns for NS.”
“We built the Thoroughbred Trading Post in-house because we wanted a solution that truly fits the way our teams work. It empowers employees, streamlines asset disposition, and helps us all work safer by removing what is no longer key to our operations or necessary. This is NS problem solving at its best,” said NS Senior Manager, Agile Business Solutions Jonathan Anthony.
This new solution reflects the culture of ingenuity across Norfolk Southern. It ensures every asset is handled responsibly and supports the safety, efficiency, and orderliness of our work environment. It shows how NS is leading with practical and innovative solutions in an area where many railroads face the same challenges,” said NS Sr. Category Specialist, Asset Disposition Paris Stroud.
“The app makes the asset disposition process go smoother and acts as a one‑stop shop instead of having to go through multiple steps. It also keeps me in the loop in real time on where an item is in the process, which is a tremendous value‑add,” said NS Sr. Supervisor Work Equipment – Engineering Teddy Lowry.
