Norfolk Southern Corporation operates one of North America’s largest railroad networks. The rail routes of this network, called the Norfolk Southern Railway, extend about 21,000 miles (34,000 kilometers) in 22 states of the Eastern and Midwestern United States. The network also links to major Western and Canadian rail carriers. In addition to its freight-hauling operations, Norfolk Southern has subsidiaries that manage coal resources and pursue business opportunities in the fields of high-technology and telecommunications. Norfolk Southern Corporation has headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Norfolk Southern Railway has its origins in two early railroads—the Norfolk and Western Railway and the Southern Railway. Each of these railroads was the product of mergers of more than 100 other railroads. Railroads that made up the Norfolk and Western date back to 1838. Those that made up the Southern Railway date back to 1827. The two railroads were consolidated to form Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1982. In 1998, Norfolk Southern and another leading rail freight carrier, CSX Corporation, divided most of the assets of Conrail, a major eastern rail freight system. The two companies operate Conrail jointly as a local freight company serving Detroit, Philadelphia, and cities in New Jersey.
