Inside Norfolk Southern's Midtown Atlanta network operations center

ATLANTA - Norfolk Southern has offered a rare look inside its 24-hour network operations center in Midtown Atlanta, where dispatchers manage train traffic across thousands of miles.

Midtown Atlanta train operations

What we know:

Inside the railroad's corporate headquarters on West Peachtree Street, about 300 employees work around the clock in a room controlling trains across 22 states. Dispatchers, locomotive engineers and road foremen monitor equipment, inspect operations and track bulk goods moving across more than 28,000 miles of railroad.

Managing severe weather risks

Why you should care:

Storms can send trees crashing down or wash out tracks, creating immediate danger for rail crews and nearby communities. During the peak of hurricane season, workers use real-time monitoring and forecasting to stage resources and plan safe shutdowns before severe weather hits.

Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene

The backstory:

Planning from the control hub was tested Sept. 20-24, 2024, when Hurricane Helene destroyed major portions of track in North Carolina. Operators in Midtown worked continuously to monitor damage, route equipment and keep critical freight moving during the recovery effort.

Norfolk Southern safety efforts

What they're saying:

Assistant Vice President of Operations Scott St. Clair described the center as the place where all dispatching operations occur for the rail network. "When we know that a storm is coming, it's really critical for us to get the right resources staged, ensure that we have a good shutdown plan," St. Clair said.