West Tennessee Railroad Assumes Operation of Norfolk Southern Line

The West Tennessee Railroad, currently operating between Jackson, TN and Kenton, TN, signed an agreement, on June 27, 2001, to lease the Norfolk Southern Railway Company's line between Corinth, MS and Fulton, KY including the branch from Jackson, TN, to Poplar Corner, TN. Operations will commence on or about August 1, 2001. The expanded WTNN Railroad will increase the mileage served from 43 miles to 180 miles, will serve more than 50 customers in West Tennessee, handle more than 18,000 carloads and serve over a dozen new industrial sites including the new 300-acre Gibson County Industrial Park in Humboldt, TN. With direct connections to four Class I carriers, Canadian National, CSXT, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern, West Tennessee offers its customers and new Industrial Development customers competitive access to these Quadruple Gateways. The expanded line will also offer a shorter, faster route to the Mid South from the Upper Midwest, Far Northwest and Western Canada by bridging traffic from the CN at Fulton to the KCS and NS at Corinth.

The expanded West Tennessee railroad loads more Tennessee grain carloads than any other railroad operating in the State. The Railroad also handles substantial quantities of finished steel, scrap steel, containerboard, brick, lumber and fertilizers. The Manufacturing Center of Jackson, TN, will be the center of operations for the expanded West Tennessee with five trains operating daily out of Iselin Yard in Jackson.

The West Tennessee Railroad was formed in 1984 to operate a former Illinois Central Branch scheduled for abandonment. Traffic since then has doubled. West Tennessee Railroad is acquiring seven locomotives from Relco of Minookie, IL. The Relco company's on-time delivery of the locomotives is critical to the startup date of August 1. West Tennessee is appreciative of the efforts of Norfolk Southern, County executives and other public officials in the counties served by the new line, shippers on the existing and expanded WTNN, the Governor's office and TDOT in helping to bring about this expansion.

For more information contact: Tony Linn, West Tennessee Railroad (201) 768-2712 http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X39703183

SOURCE West Tennessee Railroad