CRESSON, Pa. — Norfolk Southern will close its engine house in Cresson, Pa., eliminating seven jobs, the Altoona Mirror reports.
The closure will come at the end of July. A Norfolk Southern spokesman told the newspaper in an email that the move “is part of our long-term business plans to evolve our operations to best serve the needs of our customers.”
Cresson is about 5 miles southwest of Altoona (although 15 miles by rail). Earlier this month, NS furloughed 86 workers and eliminated 14 vacant positions at its Juniata Locomotive Shop [see “Norfolk Southern furloughs 86 at Altoona locomotive shops,” Trains News Wire, July 12, 2021].
Station Inn B&B will still be good place to watch trains off front porch.
Irv
Some young bean counter made some points with the big guns in the ivory towers on how to save some money, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they reopened it before the years out.
Any one want to bet how long it takes for this to bite them in the butt?
NS is nothing but cut cut cut.
And, is that any different than any other business?
My guess is NS will simply fuel helper locos from tank trucks. This can be handled just about anywhere between Johnstown and Altoona where there is access to the tracks. Any other service that is necessary can be shifted to Juniata.
This is where the helpers have been fueled and serviced. How does closing it “improve” service? Where will the work now be done? As far as I know, they have no refueling pads at either Altoona or Conemaugh. By using DP, they have reduced, but not eliminated, the use of helpers.