QUOTE WITHOUT COMMENT

March 11, 2009

Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern Receive Approval to Improve Rail Service in New York and New England

NORTH BILLERICA**, MASS. , NORFOLK , VA. – Pan Am Railways (PAR) and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) have received governmental approvals for their proposed Pan Am Southern joint venture, clearing the way for more than $87 million in rail infrastructure investment designed to significantly enhance the service capabilities and commercial offerings that NS and PAR provide in upstate New York and New England . The U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the joint venture will become effective as of 12:01 a.m. (EDT), April 9, 2009. Pan Am Southern is expected to commence operation on or about May 1, 2009.**

Pan Am Southern–the name makes about as much sense, linguistically, as Seaboard Coast Line used to. They go south of all America? Or maybe the pan am southern, but the stove are northern!

(snicker)

(snicker)

Carl, you really made Mookie laugh–she posted twice.

Then, again, Pan Am will be the parent, and the NS will be the child–Pan Am Southern.

One thing about the SCL, it gave you an idea as to what roads were merged, whereas some merger names did not. Is Champion Davis still spinning in his grave?

Johnny

Since (hopefully) NS will handle most of this operation, they should have gone back in history and called it the “Panhandle”.

Carl, I think NS is just providing money for the route. Pan Am (formerly Guilford) will operate the trains and supply crews and power, although some NS locos are sure to appear on run-through trains.

The financial and corporate arrangement looks very similar to the arrangement between KCS and NS on the Meridian-Shreveport line.