Norfolk Southern Railway (1942–1982)

Norfolk Southern Railway
Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1870
Defunct	1974 (absorbed by Southern Railway)
Fate	Absorbed by Southern Railway
Headquarters	Norfolk, United States
Area served	Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Products	Freight and passenger rail services

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Norfolk Southern Railway (1942–1982), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 24 July 2025

The Norfolk Southern Railway was the final designation of a rail line running from Norfolk, Virginia southwestward to Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1974, it was absorbed by the Southern Railway, which later combined with the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1982 to create the modern Norfolk Southern Railway.

By May 1920, the earlier Norfolk Southern Railroad had leased the Durham and South Carolina Railroad, expanding its system to a total of 942 miles. At the close of 1970, Norfolk Southern Railway operated 624 miles of mainline track and 801 miles of total trackage, reporting freight revenue ton-miles amounting to 710 million.

History

Founded in 1870, the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad commenced service in 1881, connecting Berkley, Virginia, southward to Edenton, North Carolina. It was renamed Norfolk Southern Railroad ("NSRR") in 1883 to represent its growth goals but entered receivership by 1889 and reorganized in 1891. The company grew through acquisitions such as the Albemarle and Pantego Railroad and secured trackage rights over the Norfolk and Western Railroad into Norfolk.

In 1899, N&S purchased the Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Southern Railroad, extending its reach to Virginia Beach and Cape Henry. Between 1902 and 1904, it further expanded by acquiring and constructing lines like the Washington and Plymouth Railroad. During this period, it also launched a car ferry service across Albemarle Sound, which was replaced by a bridge in 1910.

The Raleigh and Eastern North Carolina Railroad—later renamed Raleigh and Pamlico Sound Railroad—developed routes linking Washington to Bridgeton and Raleigh to Zebulon by 1906. That same year, Norfolk and Southern Railway consolidated several regional railroads including the Virginia and Carolina Coast Railroad, Pamlico, Oriental and Western Railway, Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad (under lease since 1904), and Beaufort and Western Railroad.

Following another receivership in 1908, the company resumed the Norfolk Southern Railroad name in 1910. It improved network connectivity by building new branches connecting Chocowinity to Raleigh via Zebulon, designating this corridor as its primary mainline toward Charlotte.

Numerous short lines such as the Egypt Railroad and Durham and Charlotte Railroad were absorbed or restructured between the late 1800s and early 1900s. During 1911-1912, these lines were consolidated into the Raleigh, Charlotte and Southern Railway (RC&S), which was subsequently merged into NSR. This unification incorporated significant routes including the Raleigh and Southport Railway (running from Raleigh to Fayetteville) along with the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad featuring branches toward Mount Gilead.

By 1914, NSRR connected Varina with Colon as well as Mount Gilead with Charlotte, creating an uninterrupted mainline utilizing former subsidiary tracks. Leasing the Durham and South Carolina Railroad in 1920 further extended access to Durham.

A receivership declared in 1932 resulted in defaults on leases such as that of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad by 1935; during this time some branch lines were either abandoned or sold off. The firm reorganized as Norfolk Southern Railway in 1942 and retired its final steam locomotive in 1954.

On January 1, 1974, Southern Railway acquired Norfolk Southern Railroad, merging it into Carolina and Northwestern Railway but preserving the Norfolk Southern name. The designation was later released for use following the 1982 merger between Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western that formed today’s Norfolk Southern Railway.

After this merger, Norfolk Southern maintained important routes from Gulf (near Cumnock) northeastward to Raleigh. Other portions became independent regional railroads: Aberdeen-Carolina & Western Railway (Gulf to Charlotte), Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad (Edenton to Norfolk), Carolina Coastal Railway (Belhaven-Pinetown branch plus Plymouth-Raleigh segment). The stretch between Plymouth and Edenton was removed following demolition of the Albemarle Sound Trestle during the late 1980s.

Passenger service

In 1932, Norfolk Southern offered prominent passenger routes, featuring twice-daily trains running between Norfolk Terminal Station and Raleigh's Union Depot. The nighttime service on this line was called the Midnight Express. Travelers arriving in Raleigh had the option to transfer to trains bound for Charlotte. This rail system connected several important northeastern North Carolina communities, such as Elizabeth City, Washington, Greenville, and Wilson. Additionally, the railroad provided access to coastal towns including Columbia, Belhaven, and Beaufort.

The Chesapeake Transit Company introduced an electric interurban route in 1902 that extended from Norfolk to Virginia Beach and Cape Henry. This operation was absorbed by Norfolk Southern in 1904 and designated as the NS Electric Division. Over time, electric trolley cars were phased out in favor of gas-electric "doodlebug" railcars. On May 15, 1940, the primary train service was relocated from Norfolk Terminal station to Berkley Station at 701 Main Street.

By 1943, passenger rail services had mostly been replaced by bus operations except on the main Norfolk-Raleigh corridor and the Virginia Beach Electric Division—later renamed the 'Virginia Beach Division.' Passenger service along the beach route using doodlebugs continued until 1947, when all services east of Norfolk were discontinued. The final passenger train ran on January 31, 1948; however, mail and express freight trains continued operating for several subsequent years.

Company officers

Norfolk Southern presidents included:

William E. Philips – President of EC&N RR (1881–1882)
William E. Philips – President of NS RR (1883–1889)
Watson B. Dickerman – Receiver of NS RR (1889–1891)
Watson B. Dickerman – President of N&S RR (1891–1899)
John Carstensen – President of N&S RR (1900–1904)
A.H. Flint – President of N&S RR (1904–1905)
Marsden J. Perry – President of N&S RR (1905–1906)
Frank S. Gannon – President of N&S RR (1906–1908)
Thomas Fitzgerald – Receiver of N&S Ry (1908)
Harry K. Walcott – Receiver of N&S Ry (1908–1910)
Hugh M. Kerr – Receiver of N&S Ry (1908–1910)
E.T. Lamb – President of NS RR (1910–1912)
Charles H. Hix – President of NS RR (1912–1914)
Joseph Young – President of NS RR (1914–1918)
R.H. Swartwout – President of NS RR (1918–1919)
George R. Loyall – President of NS RR (1920–1932)
G.R. Loyall & L.H. Windholz – Receivers of NS RR (1932–1933)
M.H. Hawkins & L.H. Windholz – Receivers of NS RR (1933–1942)
L.A. Beck – President of NS Ry (1942–1947)
J.T. Kingsley – President of NS Ry (1947–1953)
Patrick B. McGinnis – Chairman of the Board during this era; subsequently held executive positions at Central of Georgia Railway, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and Boston and Maine Railroad
G.M. Self – President of NS Ry (1953–1954)
J.R. Prichard – President of NS Ry (1954–1956)
Henry Oetjen – President of NS Ry (1956 onward)

Heritage Unit

In honor of Norfolk Southern Railway's 30th anniversary in 2012, the company adorned twenty locomotives with paint schemes representing predecessor railroads. Among these was NS #8114, a GE ES44AC locomotive painted with the original Norfolk Southern colors.

External links

References