Norfolk Southern Railroad says its CEO is under investigation…

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw is under investigation for possible ethical violations, the railroad company confirmed Monday.

A spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based railroad, one of North America’s six largest, declined to provide further details about the nature of the allegations against Shaw, who was promoted to the top job in spring 2022 after decades at Norfolk Southern.

Shaw has been under enormous pressure over the past 18 months, first dealing with the worst rail disaster of the past decade, when a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, leaking dangerous chemicals and catching fire, prompting evacuations in February 2023. Then Shaw had to fight for his job this year after activist investor Ancora Holdings nominated a slew of board members to take control of the railroad and reform its operations, initially firing Shaw.

Ancora declined to comment on the investigation on Monday. Three of his candidates won seats on the rail company’s board of directors, but that was not enough to gain control.

The railroad company’s board of directors said late Sunday that it had hired an outside law firm to investigate allegations against Shaw, which suggested his conduct may have been “contrary to the company’s code of conduct and corporate policy.”

Norfolk Southern is one of the largest railroad companies with operations throughout the eastern United States.