Facility Improvements Planned for Erwin, Tenn.

Modifications Planned to Support New Coal, Grain Service Initiative

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CSX Transportation
Inc. (CSXT) has announced facility expansions and enhancements at its Erwin,
Tenn., facility as the railroad moves forward with an initiative to further
improve the delivery of coal and other freight.
Erwin, the former headquarters of the CSXT predecessor Clinchfield
Railroad, is an important gateway for coal trains operating from Appalachia to
receivers such as electrical power utilities.
As part of an expanded project focused on improving bulk freight service
including coal and grain, approximately $6 million in track and structure work
will be performed at the Erwin terminal during 2008. This work will
accommodate a growing volume of coal and some grain trains that will be using
distributed power at the rear of those trains. In addition, about $3 million
will be spent on communications and technology upgrades in the region to
support distributed power, and eight additional employees will join the Erwin
locomotive team.
Distributed power refers to locomotives placed in the middle or rear of
the train and controlled by the engineer from the lead locomotive. By
"distributing" the power through the train, handling over mountainous
territory is improved, more rail cars can be added, and fuel efficiency is
increased. Those longer trains require the construction of longer yard tracks.
Later this month, demolition of the current car inspector facility will
begin to make way for extended yard tracks and a new car inspector facility.
In addition, several power switches will be installed in the terminal, which
enable trains to move through the yard more fluidly and don't require workers
to get off to manipulate them.
The locomotive servicing facility also will receive upgrades to expedite
its work. CSXT's purchase of new locomotives this year includes a
specification for equipping them for distributed power.
"We are proud of the long and consistent record of safety and service
provided by our Erwin terminal and its employees," said Mike Pendergrass, vice
president-Southern region. "We look forward to these facility improvements to
support distributed power, which in turn will provide more efficient service
to our customers."
Locomotive engineers who operate from Erwin and other southeastern points
are undergoing classroom and hands-on training to prepare to operate
distributed power trains, joining those who are already certified for those
operations. Distributed power trains will eventually replace the practice
today of adding "helper" locomotives at certain points to push trains over
grades, increasing efficiency and further improving customer service.
CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX
Corporation. CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the
leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck
transload services. The company's transportation network spans 21,000 miles
with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects
to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX
Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site,
www.csx.com .
SOURCE CSX Transportation Inc.

Gary T. Sease of CSX Transportation Inc., +1-904-359-1719