Norfolk Southern’s export metallurgical coal business received a major boost with the completion of Warrior Met Coal’s US$1 billion Blue Creek Mine near Whitson, Alabama. The longwall mine and balloon loadout track can produce up to 6 million tons of coal annually and load as many as 10 unit trains per week, most of which will be delivered to the Port of Mobile’s McDuffie Coal Terminal for export.

The project revitalizes Norfolk Southern’s 25.7-mile Berry Branch, dormant for much of the past decade. NS began preparing the branch in late 2024, laying ballast for unit trains in anticipation of the mine’s opening. The first train was loaded in May 2025, and operations fully commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in January 2026.

To support growth, NS is investing US$200 million in improvements to its 3-B Corridor between Birmingham and Mobile, including new track, sidings, and yard expansion, scheduled for completion in 2027. The corridor handles coal as well as agricultural, automotive, chemical, forest, and steel shipments. The Alabama Port Authority is also committing US$200 million to expand capacity at McDuffie Coal Terminal.