Conrail has named John Wright as its new president and chief operating officer, bringing a veteran railroad executive onto its leadership team. Wright brings nearly 30 years of experience in freight rail operations and management to the helm of an important component of the transportation and supply chain network in North America.

Wright came to Conrail from the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, a switching and belt-line carrier based in Hammond, Ind., where he was general manager. The railroad has about 600 employees and provides vital rail service in the region.

Wright replaces Brian Gorton, who recently retired from Conrail. Norfolk Southern and CSX jointly own the company, which is based in Mount Laurel, N.J.

Conrail has some 920 employees and some 1,200 track-miles to serve. It is based in Detroit, the Philadelphia area and southern and northern New Jersey.

A career with the large US railroads

Wright began his railroad career in 1996 as a conductor for Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC). He then joined CSX Transportation where he held several senior management positions.

His CSX experience includes division management positions in the Baltimore, Atlanta and Great Lakes divisions and assistant vise president, locomotive operations.

His new role at Conrail adds significant industry experience through this combination of railroad operations and executive leadership experience.

Operational performance and infrastructure are top priorities

Wright, when he was named, said he was looking forward to running Conrail at what he called a critical time for the company.

“It is a great honor to step into this new role at this critical time for Conrail,” Wright said. “Conrail is a critical link in North American supply chains. "I am excited to join our dedicated team in driving operational excellence, strengthening our regional infrastructure and providing superior service to our customers.”

He is focused on improving operational performance, strengthening the company’s regional rail infrastructure and continuing to provide quality service to customers.

The significance of this appointment

Wright arrives at a good time for Conrail, which is structured differently than many other freight rail companies.

Conrail is jointly owned by CSX and Norfolk Southern, and occupies a unique place in the eastern US rail network. It is not a traditional, independent Class I railroad, but rather focuses on local freight and switching services throughout its regional system.

The appointment therefore places an executive with experience at both parent companies in a leadership role responsible for maintaining Conrail's operational performance and supporting its contribution to North American supply chains.