The Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car, shown here inside a Juniata Shops maintenance facility at Altoona, Pa., showcases the benefits of rail freight transportation. (Photo: Norfolk Southern)NORFOLK, Va. (WBOC/AP)- Norfolk Southern is celebrating its corporate heritage and showcasing the benefits of rail freight transportation with a 10-state, 15-city tour.
The Norfolk-based railroad operator says its Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car will travel to the cities between June and December.
The exhibit car is a restored 1926 Pullman passenger car that was converted to a mobile museum in 1971. Officials say that in its 41 years as a display car, more than 1.5 million people have viewed it.
Among new features for the 2012 tour is a display featuring the company's heritage locomotives. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Norfolk Southern this year, the company is rolling out 20 locomotives painted in the color schemes of some of its most prominent predecessor companies. The Exhibit Car displays models of the locomotives, along with historical information about each railroad and a flat-screen monitor showing images of the real locomotives.
Along with several other displays and games to help show how freight products are transported, visitors also get a chance to be at the controls of a virtual freight train.
The car will tour through December on the following schedule, with all events open to the public unless noted otherwise:
- June 2, 3: Strasburg, Pa., Norfolk Southern Days at Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
- July 3, 4: Spencer, N.C., North Carolina Transportation Museum
- July 7: Roanoke, Va., Employee Appreciation Day at the Virginia Museum of Transportation
- July 21: Norfolk, Va., Girl Scouts Council of the Colonial Coast's observance of 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts (by invitation only)
- July 23: Norfolk, Va., Lionel Collectors Club of America Convention (private ticketed event)
- Aug. 4: Milan, Mich., Discover Milan Day
- Aug. 10-12: Orrville, Ohio, Depot Days
- Sept. 1, 2: Scranton, Pa., Lackawanna Railfest
- Sept. 8: Fort Valley, Ga., 7th Annual ComSouth Hambone Jam
- Sept. 19: Louisville, Ky., Grade Crossing Collision Investigation Course (private event)
- Sept. 29: Old Fort, N.C., 100th Anniversary Celebration of Andrews Geyser and Old Fort Railroad
- Oct. 13: Hendersonville, N.C., 5th Annual Bazaar
- Oct. 20: Oliver Springs, Tenn., October Sky Fall Festival
- Dec. 1: Hopkins, S.C., Annual Holiday Taste & Tour - Lower Richland Heritage Corridor
- Dec. 6: Landrum, S.C., Landrum Christmas Stroll/Parade
Norfolk Southern provides the Exhibit Car at no cost for community events throughout its service territory. To request the car for 2013, click here.
