
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 24, 1993                   TAG: 9307240065
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NS FLOOD DAMAGES: $3 MILLION AND RISING

Norfolk Southern Corp. confirmed Friday that flood waters in the Midwest have caused $3 million in damage to the railroad's track and track beds.

"There's no way we can know how much [the damage will total] because the flood's not over yet," said Robert Fort, a spokesman in Norfolk.

Even as flood waters have covered lines and, in some cases, washed away track beds, rail freight has continued to move through the stricken areas of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Missouri.

"The business has been handled quite well," Fort said. "There's been an amazing amount of cooperation among the railroads."

Delays of rail freight caused by congestion and rerouting of trains are ranging from a few hours to a few days, according to the Association of American Railroads.

- Staff report

by CNB