Exhibit 99.1

                                               Contact: Tom Hoppin, 804-782-1450

                       CSXT DISAPPOINTED WITH JURY AWARD;
                             PROMISES PROMPT APPEAL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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        JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 8, 1997 - A.R. "Pete" Carpenter, president and
chief executive officer of CSX Transportation (CSXT), today issued the following
statement in response to a $2.5 billion punitive damages jury verdict  announced
today against CSXT in a New Orleans State  District  Court as a result of a 1987
railroad car fire:

        "CSX  Transportation  is very  disappointed  with this  decision  in New
Orleans  today.  It is clearly not consistent  with the facts.  CSXT handled the
leaking car in complete accordance with very stringent Federal safety standards.
The  National  Transportation  Safety  Board  investigation  into this  accident
concluded the incident was not caused by CSXT.

        "There  are  excellent  grounds  for appeal  and we will  promptly  move
forward in that regard.

        "All of us at CSXT work very hard every day in  everything we do to make
this one of the safest railroads in America, and we are committed to maintaining
that leadership in our industry."

        CSXT  and  its  29,000  employees   provide  rail   transportation   and
distribution  services  over an 18,500  route-mile  network  in 20  states,  the
District of Columbia and Ontario,  Canada. CSXT is a business unit of CSX Corp.,
headquartered in Richmond, Va.

                    CSXT's internet address is: www.csxt.com.