I usually don't post NS press releases but this one pertains directly to Savannah which we all know was the headquarters of the CofG. It appears NS is increasing their level of intermodal activity in Savannah and the former CofG line from Macon to Savannah may see an increase in activity also. Just thought it might be interesting in case you missed it. Here it is:

July 10, 2001

Norfolk Southern Begins Direct Service to New Intermodal Facility at Savannah, Ga.

NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk Southern Railway Company is now providing exclusive rail service to the new Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility located at and operated by the Port of Savannah, Ga. The Savannah facility offers a number of benefits for Norfolk Southern customers. These include direct rail service to the port, efficient transfer of containers between rail and ship, improved performance in key lanes and new east-west services to be launched later this summer. "The Savannah market is very important for Norfolk Southern, not only because of the Port of Savannah and the waterborne trades that it serves, but also because of the transcontinental freight that originates and terminates in the area," said Mike McClellan, Norfolk Southern's vice president Intermodal Marketing. "We have been working in close partnership with the Georgia Port Authority to open this facility, and we believe that the Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility will provide tremendous opportunities for both of us and significant benefits for our mutual customers. "Savannah will be one of the spokes of our new southeastern intermodal rail hub at Austell, near Atlanta," McClellan said. "Transit times for traffic moving between Savannah and Atlanta should be reduced more than 50 percent." Savannah is the third in a series of new intermodal facilities opening this year on Norfolk Southern lines. Maple Heights, near Cleveland, began operating earlier this month, and Austell starts operations July 30. Initially, Norfolk Southern will operate dedicated intermodal trains three days a week between Savannah and Atlanta. The Savannah facility is part of Norfolk Southern's extensive intermodal network serving major East Coast ports, including New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla. The terminal is located at Three North Main Street, Garden City, Ga. It offers 7,500 feet of access and storage track as well as 300 parking spaces and can accommodate double-stack traffic. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC), a Virginia-based holding company with headquarters in Norfolk, owns a major freight railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway Company, which operates approximately 21,800 miles of road in 22 states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario.

Media Contact: Susan Terpay, Norfolk, 757-823-5204

-- Bryan Smith (bsmith3608@aol.com), July 10, 2001