Norfolk Southern was created in 1982 from the merger of the Norfolk & Western Railway and the Southern Railway. This was done to compete with the Chessie System-Seaboard Coast Line merger to form CSX Transportation that was approved in 1980. Norfolk Southern was the first user of roadrailers. Roadrailers are trucks with interchangeable wheel sets. In 1990, Southern Railway Company was renamed Norfolk Southern railway Co. Norfolk and Western railway co was merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1997. In 1999, Conrail's ex-Pennsylvania Railroad trackage was sold to the Norfolk Southern Railway,who created Pennsylvania Railway Lines. Norfolk Southern is currently still buying D.C. traction diesels. In fact the only A.C. traction diesels on their roster are SD80MACs which all were inherited from Conrail.

List of reporting marks

  • NW - Norfolk and Western-owned
  • SOU/NS - Southern railway-owned
  • PRR = Pennsylvania-owned