(The following report by Patrick Schurr appeared on the WTAJ website on March 11, 2009.)
ALTOONA, Pa. — From the Pennsylvania Railroad to Penn Central… from Conrail to Norfolk Southern… Altoona’s men and women built the locomotives that ruled the railroads. At the heart of it all — the Juniata Shops.
It’s managed to survive the decline of the railroad industry, mostly due to its reputation for producing high-quality work. But the uncertain economy poses a new threat.
WTAJ News Anchor Patrick Schurr visited the facility to see what it can do to “Stay on the Right Track.”
More than 900 men and women now work at the Juniata Locomotive Shop. Given its history, it’s very, very important for the Altoona area. “I think people are proud… to say, hey, they were a railroad worker here at Juniata,” said supervisor Barry Wertz. He’s an Altoona native, 3rd generation railroader and has more than 34-years experience at the shop.
Most employees, it seems, respect the facility’s past and want to improve the already high standard of work. So does Norfolk Southern. “We understand the historical impacts that we have, but at the end of the day,” said spokesman Rudy Husband, “they have to bring value today to what Norfolk Southern is doing.” Husband said so far, Juniata has more than met that criteria.
With closings, consolidations and the economy over the years, what’s been the secret to success here? Besides the facility’s rich history, supervisors say it’s all about safety, productivity and quality. “The quality of the workmanship that comes out of Juniata is unparalleled in the world,” said Husband.
The facility’s primary task is servicing the NS fleet of nearly 4,000 locomotives. But it also brings in revenue by repairing and overhauling equipment from other companies.
Plus, a new, more environmentally-friendly locomotive called “Genset” is in the testing stages right now. Juniata’s already built two and is poised to crank out many more, should the technology prove to be successful. “I think what we do here, I think it’s going to be a long-term thing,” said Wertz. The “Genset”-style locomotives produce 80-percent fewer emissions than the current workhorses, making them much “greener.” NS says state government officials support the new technology. They’re also said to be pushing for the Juniata Shop to be the primary manufacturer if that engine becomes the next generation of locomotives.
Despite a slowdown in business, there are no immediate plans to reduce the workforce. NS is hoping the economy will turn around before the full effects trickle down to Juniata. “All we can keep doing here is keep producing the same type of work that everybody has grown to expect,” said Husband. “And that is the single best way to make sure that this has a bright future.”
That would no doubt make the hard-working railroaders from the past century-and-a-half proud to know Juniata’s still chuggin’ along.